Blood Fire
by Angelic Puppy
Summary: A new threat comes to Earth. Shadow befriends one of the new creatures while trying to defend his family in the face of danger. Will he be able to save everyone? Can he save himself? Rated for violence and extremely mild cursing. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

AP: Sup ya'll. This story is from Shadow's point of view. The name might change, it might not. I'll figure it out. Anyway, Sonic the Hedgehog is not mine. All characters, except the creatures and Mari my OC is copyright to SEGA. Enjoy my story my little darlings.

_What will I do now?_ That was the question repeating in my mind as I stared down at the body. I was covered in, what was it, blood? The dead creature in front of me seemed too unreal to have blood around it, to have blood coming from it. Some sort of alien, an ugly thing too. What was I going to do?

The serpentine thing with ugly arms and claws that were some sort of cross between arms and squid tentacles still twitched. The creature's blood still poured out, pooling around it and at my feet. It had come down from the ceiling and attacked me when I came through my apartment door. It was smart enough to wait until I had shut and locked the door before it tried to grab me.

I shuddered as I stared at the horrendous thing, remembering the feel of its arms wrapping around me, seeing the teeth in its disfigured reptilian head come towards me while its hot, thick drool slimed its way onto my head and down my back. I couldn't even remember how I'd killed the thing; I was in such a panic. A knock on the door made me jump and I raced over to the door, looking through the hole. It was just Sonic, he always showed up at the most unorthodox times.

"What do you want Sonic?" I asked through the door, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Amy wouldn't leave me alone until I checked on you. I know it's like two in the morning, but she had a dream that you were in trouble so…." Sonic said, with slight annoyance in his voice.

I opened the door and his eyes went wide as he looked at me.

"She was right." I said.

Sonic examined the creature while I took a shower. The creature's blood was thick and sticky; I used an entire bottle of shampoo and had to finish my shower in ice-cold water before I was clean. I was feeling muddle-headed and was shivering by the time I was finished. I looked at the tub when I was finished showering and growled quietly at the amount of scrubbing that would be needed to clean it. I'd suffocate on bleach fumes before it was clean.

"Hey, Shadow. What did you _do_ to this thing?" Sonic called from the other room.

I went into the living room, pulling on some pajama pants as I went.

"I don't know. What did I do? I panicked when it grabbed me. One moment that thing was about to bite my head off, the next it was at my feet like that." I said as I stood next to Sonic who was crouched by the thing.

I looked at the creature more closely and saw that it was torn apart. The main thing that was intact on it was its head, with the exception of a gash across its face, if you could call it that. It was like some wingless, hideous, deformed dragon that was colored like Chaos. Maybe it was some new form of Chaos, what with its ropey arms and coloring. It even had Chaos' eyes.

"What the hell _is this_?" Sonic said, poking the leg.

"How should I know? I really want to know how it got in here, that's what I'd love to know." I said, turning away from the creature.

I needed some coffee and that's what I was going to get. I went into the kitchen and turned the coffee maker on. My head itched where the thing's drool had landed on me and I was still feeling muddle-headed. I leaned against the counter and put my head on my arms, closing my eyes. That was a bad idea, because as soon as I closed my eyes I felt like my mind was being dragged by some weight into my feet.

"Shadow? Are you ok?" Sonic's voice sounded very far away.

"I'm fine." I said, or I thought I did. I was suddenly so tired; all I noticed was an arm beneath me holding me up, before I passed out.

I awoke to bright light—which I hate—and the feel of a cold washcloth on my face. I grunted in response to the light and reached up to cover my still-closed eyes.

"Oh, sorry Shadow, I forgot about your aversion to light." A voice said as the amount of light reduced at the sound of curtains being drawn. I would know the voice even if he didn't use a word like _aversion_.

"Oi Tails, who talks like that?" I said. My voice was low and gravelly as it always is when I wake up. I didn't bother to sit up; my brain was shrouded in fog, as if I had been woken up in the middle of a deep sleep.

"Umm, was I supposed to understand that?" Tails said.

I opened my eyes to see his large, round, blue chibi eyes close to my face. I growled low to myself and forced myself to sit up. I was sore, my head throbbed, and I obviously couldn't talk properly. I rubbed my temples and behind my ears as I glared at the blanket over my legs.

"What time is it?" I asked, speaking very carefully as to be understood.

"It would be two in the afternoon." Tails said, looking at his watch.

"Twelve hours? I slept for _twelve hours_?" I said incredulously.

Tails swallowed hard. He never liked answering my questions, but his _aversion_ was justifiable, since I had exploded at him many times. I sighed, closing my eyes and thinking of whatever made me calm and/or happy. Maria, the mountains, the ocean, Amy strangling Sonic in a death grip, Knuckles finally figuring out that he'd been insulted, Eggman being blown up by his own invention…. My eyes snapped open when I felt someone scratching my ear. Tails was on the other side of the room while Rouge stood next to me, scratching my ear.

"Oops, I'm sorry, were you in your happy place?" Rouge said cheerfully.

I sighed, because Rouge meant Knuckles and Knuckles meant noise. Noise that would doubtlessly make my headache become a migraine. I flattened my ears in annoyance and she stopped scratching them. She left the room laughing. I took my time leaving the room, lying on the bed for a while before I stood up to stretch and walk around. Tails waited for me, he just watched me walk around the room as I absently picked up things. I stopped to look out the too-bright window and I turned and stared at the bed for no reason for a few moments.

"Do you do this every morning?" Tails asked.

"Yeah probably, except I walk around my whole apartment. Usually I'm waiting for a cup of coffee."

Tails screwed up his nose at the mention of coffee. I chuckled at his expression because I was the one who made him hate coffee. I drink very strong, very black coffee and he drinks this flavored weak stuff that's more sugar and cream than coffee. Once he had spent the night over my house because Amy and Sonic had a huge fight and I gave him some coffee. He coughed, choked, and sputtered upon tasting the coffee and has never drunk any since.

"What about that creature?" I asked suddenly. The question had been said before I even thought about talking, much less the weird thing in my apartment.

"Yeah, Sonic brought it after he brought you. It's in my lab. I'm still analyzing it. I think its spit is some sort of tranquilizer and that's why you passed out." Tails said thoughtfully.

"How'd you know he drooled on me? I didn't tell Sonic about that." I said, rubbing behind my ear on my head where I'd been drooled on.

"Umm, you talk in your sleep. A lot." Tails said, poking his fingers together nervously.

I rolled my eyes, grunting in annoyance. This was no time to be worrying about my sleeptalking. I needed coffee. And some eggs, eggs would be good. The two of us went downstairs and I smelled eggs. My stomach growled ferociously and I heard Tails' stomach growl pitifully, more like a plaintive gurgle. We went into the kitchen; Sonic, Knuckles, Rouge, and Amy were in there.

"Hey you're awake! Finally, I thought I might have to consider possibly thinking about being concerned about you." Sonic said with a grin.

My ear twitched in annoyance, but I smirked nonetheless.

"I'm glad you thought about maybe possibly considering thinking about being concerned about me." I said sarcastically.

A plate of scrambled eggs was shoved in my hands by an abnormally quiet Amy and I ate quickly. Well, if I'm honest I shoveled the eggs down my throat as though someone was trying to steal them from me and I didn't care that everyone was staring at me in surprise. I hadn't realized how ravenously hungry I was. I don't normally eat breakfast and I often skip meals if I'm not thinking about it.

I held out my plate for more and Amy filled the plate with eggs while everyone just watched me. I tapped my foot impatiently as Amy added toast, bacon, and some ketchup to the eggs. My ears twitched in annoyance, both from wanting Amy to hurry up and from wanting everyone to mind their own business. Amy finally gave me the plate and I thoroughly wolfed it down, burning my mouth on the fresh eggs and bacon. I didn't really like toast so I chewed it thoughtfully as the others were served their food.

"Well, besides being hungry, how are you feeling?" Amy asked.

"Hmm? What?" I hadn't realized she was talking to me; I was just absentmindedly chewing my toast.

"How are you feeling Shadow?" She asked again, slight exasperation in her voice.

"I have a headache, I need coffee. Where's the monster thing?" I asked, again not thinking about what I was saying until after I had said it. My morbid curiosity about the thing that had almost killed me was getting the better of me without my caffeine.

"No smart stuff until after breakfast." Amy said matter-of-factly.

I flattened one ear and raised an eyebrow in question, but I said nothing. Amy's rules seemed somewhat silly sometimes, but they were more for Tails who could easily get so absorbed in his work that someone could forget he was even home. That train of thought then made me wonder why I was his babysitter rather than Knuckles and Rouge. Wouldn't it make more sense for Rouge to take care of him especially since she and Knuckles stayed in one place for more than just an hour or two? The little fox would certainly have more to do on Angel Island. I felt a poke on my belly and I looked down to see Rouge's finger poking it.

"What are you in such deep thought about?" Rouge asked.

"How would you know if I was thinking or daydreaming?" I asked, my ears sweeping back in suspicion. Rouge laughed.

"Your ears tell everything. If I couldn't see anything but your ears I'd still know exactly what you were feeling and even what you're thinking to some degree. For instance, your ears swept back that way signals suspicion to me. If I were trying to find out if Knuckles was suspicious about something I'd observe the way he's standing or sitting. Sonic shows his emotions on his face. You're harder to read because you're extremely self-controlled. For someone to read you they'd have to observe your ears and eyes and even then you're difficult." She said, observing me calmly.

Though still swept back, one ear went up and the other went down. At the same time, I could feel my eyes close slightly as I looked at her incredulously. Of course, noticing the very movements proved her right. If someone knew what each ear position meant they could know everything I was feeling and what I was thinking—to a degree. I shifted my gaze to the floor and my ears flattened as I thought about this new bit of information. Rouge was giggling as I rubbed one of my ears and Sonic was snickering.

"All right, what do you think I was thinking about just a moment ago?" I asked Rouge. She thought for a moment before answering.

"Something about me and Knuckles. Your ears always sweep forward and flatten when you're thinking of both of us together. And they twitch, they're always twitching. Your eyes were very focused as though you were pondering something and I'm guessing you were thinking about Tails too because one ear flicks back and forth while the other stays still. From your face I can tell that I'm right." Rouge said calmly as she traced patterns on Knuckles' arm, making his muscles twitch.

I thought about what she said and how accurate she was. I was keenly aware of my ears flattening and twitching as I thought. I decided that I wasn't going to worry about it and I just relaxed and munched my toast. Just then, Tails let out the most pitiful burp that was hilarious for some reason and we all laughed as he tried to make a bigger burp.

Later in the day, I went for a run to try to clear my head because I still felt muddle-headed, besides I needed some caffeine. I knew I was addicted to it and I didn't intend to try to stop, but I was starting to get restless and jumpy. Irritation would set in, followed by a worse headache than I already had and finally either a crash and burn or a frustrated explosion. I only went without coffee twice since I became addicted to caffeine and everyone commanded that I never do it again.

I passed a Starbucks and pondered going inside. Was I in such desperate need for coffee that I _really_ was willing to spend four bucks for one? I decided yes and bought a nice hot cup of coffee with a shot of espresso. I felt rejuvenated at the first sip. My headache was already starting to dissipate. I sat in the Starbucks, sipping my coffee and letting my mind wander. It was definitely worth four bucks.

My mind wandered from topic to topic. The topics included Rouge's ability to read my mind by looking at my ears, Tails' revelation to me about my sleeptalking, what Amy might be making for dinner, what idiotic plan Eggman might be conniving, what movie I would watch before I went to bed, and the creature that attacked me. What was it and how did it get in my apartment? Why the hell did it attack me anyway? Was it some new creation of Eggman's? I could believe it if Eggman were more like Dr. Gerald or if he had stolen the technology from the ARK.

"Shadow? You sleep anywhere don't you?" A voice said.

I opened my eyes, I didn't even realize I'd closed them, and saw some girl there. She was a white hedgehog; her quills were like Amy's except they were as fine as hair and far more elegant. Except she also had a ponytail of quills down her back. Her bright green eyes were beautiful as emeralds and flattered her pretty face. Her outfit, a tight shirt that accentuated her curves and a green plaid skirt, flattered her as well. There was just one thing: I didn't know this girl.

"Do I know you?" I said plainly. I was slightly annoyed and suspicious because she knew my name.

"I'm Mari. I know your friend Tails, I tutor the cute bottle of smartness in music." The girl said, as she looked me up and down. I kept my eyes firmly on her face.

"Yes, well I think you need to be careful what you say to people, especially ones you don't know well." I said, a little more vehemently than I had meant.

"Uh huh, is that a threat big shot?" She said with a smirk. This girl knew I had a temper and was trying to irk me. An absent thought went through my mind wondering why this girl couldn't be Tails' normal babysitter; after all, she was his tutor.

"Hey Blackie don't ignore me. So, why aren't you with Tails? I thought you were his babysitter. You seem too much of a drag to be a fun babysitter." She said as she sat in the only other chair at my table.

"What you think I babysit all day long? I have better things to do than sit around all day. He amuses himself as far as me being a 'drag' goes. What's it to you anyway?" I said to her, my voice dripping with dangerous annoyance and smoldering anger. What was I getting so riled up for?

"Well, I went to go pick Tails up for tutoring. He's currently doing experiments on something. He said it was important to his babysitter, which he's told me before was you. I've seen you around town before, but I never made the connection until I saw a picture of you. I figured I wanted to meet the person who's babysitting my chibi." Mari said matter-of-factly.

I wondered what Tails had been telling this girl about me, if anything. For some reason her claiming Tails as "her" chibi pissed me off. That completely unorthodox family, from annoying Sonic to brazen and stupid Knuckles, Rouge, Amy, Tails, and even Cream and that annoying Chao, they were mine. They were all my family and all chibis belonged to big brother Shadow as Cream had deemed me the last time I saw her.

Mari must have noticed me getting pissed off because she sat back and took on a slightly submissive posture, though I doubt she knew it was one. I got up and tossed my empty cup into the trash. I glared at Mari, ruby flames meeting emerald water, before I sped off.


	2. Chapter 2

I ran around the city for a while before speeding off into the forest

I ran around the city for a while before speeding off into the forest. I needed a long hard run to stem this unnecessary anger. I ran through the forest, picking up speed as I went. The trees seemed to bend away from me as though they didn't want to be run over. Everything became blurry as I continued to go faster.

The forest ended rather abruptly as I went up Mt. Coriolas. My ears flattened against my head and my quills bent down towards my back as I ran. This made me aerodynamic so that I could run even faster. Suddenly an explosion sounded in my eardrums and all I could hear was silence and a barely audible rushing noise. I had broken the sound barrier.

Everything was blurry; I could barely see anything for what it was. My eyes were dry and stinging and my fur was getting hot. My lungs were still fine, but I could feel my heart working hard, but not overly so. A trip or a missed step at this speed would almost certainly mean death. I couldn't think of anything that was bothering me because I had to focus on running without tripping. I had to focus on maintaining my speed.

It had been a while since I had run this fast. It felt great, like I was flying. The exertion was cleansing to the mind. I dreaded when I'd have to stop running, when I would have to feel gravity again. I dreaded having to hear and smell and see everything again and have my problems come back to me.

I was now over and past the mountain. I ran towards the desert, past the desert, and I saw the ocean. My legs were starting to burn and my chest was starting to hurt, after all, I didn't run this fast very often. I took my time slowing down, coming back into the world of sound first. The rush of wind in my ears made them pop and everything became clearer as I slowed. I was on the beach when I came to a complete stop.

Everything was on fire, I felt like I had been stuffed in an oven. I was sweating and the sun gleamed on my soaked fur. I panted heavily as I tried to get my bearings. I was slightly dizzy as I lay down on the soft red sand. How many miles was I from the city? I relaxed on the sand, still breathing heavily and I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

I woke up a few hours later to nighttime. The moon was full and shone her light on the water. The red sand was a silvery-white under her pale glow. The water was a black almost as pure as my fur under the cloudless sky. I went for a swim to wake me up before I ran back to the city at a more reasonable pace.

Rather than going to my apartment I went to Sonic and Amy's house. The light in the kitchen was still on meaning that Tails was probably in his lab. He liked snacking at night as much as any eight-year-old. I tried the door and found it open, meaning that I wasn't the only one still out of the house. Sonic was probably taking a run and Rouge was probably going to steal something. Knuckles would either be checking on the Master Emerald or trying to keep Rouge from thieving jewels.

I went inside and saw the TV on. Knuckles was snoozing on the couch and Rouge was lying on him watching some weird show. She looked up and smiled at me; I waved and continued through the house. In the kitchen was Tails, rummaging through the draws that were specifically for snacks.

"Hungry?" I said next to his ear. He jumped and yelped because he hadn't known I was there. I chuckled as he pouted angrily.

"Don't sneak up on me like that! You're so mean Shadow!" Tails said, flailing his arms in anger. I laughed at him as he tried to punch me. He grabbed a pack of Chips Ahoy! Cookies and marched down the basement steps that led to his lab in defiant anger.

I followed him downstairs to his lab, the cup of chocolate milk that I saw on the counter in my hand. I knew he'd realize he'd left it and want it. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked at his cookies, before turning around to face me.

"Looking for this?" I said, giving him the cup of milk. He blew a raspberry at me and went to his workbench.

I looked around the lab. It had a huge computer on the wall by the stairs. Tails' workbench was in the middle of the room and was covered in tools, gadgets, and blue glowing plants. On the other wall was a carved hole, a small cave even, which housed the original Tornado. The Tornado X was in some other part of the house, probably under the garage. At the back of the basement were glowing tubes that were like the cloning tanks in a cheap sci-fi movie. Most were empty, except for one. In the one tank was the creature that had attacked me.

I walked over to the tube and stared at the thing. It just floated there, mouth agape as though it were trying to attack me now. I wondered where it came from. I also really wished someone would tell me what the fuck this thing was. As if reading my mind, Tails spoke up.

"I'm not sure what it is. It seems like some sort of Chaos doesn't it? I analyzed its structure and it's almost like Chaos. It's kinda weird though, I've never seen anything on earth like it."

"Have you found out anything else about it? Especially because, where there's one there's bound to be more." I said.

"Nope, I haven't much else to tell. Except that its spit is some sort of tranquilizer. I'm still studying that and its effects." Tails said as he munched on a cookie. I took a cookie and chewed it thoughtfully.

I went upstairs after observing Tails at his work for an hour. Rouge was asleep on the couch, letting the TV watch her. Knuckles was somewhat awake, enough to notice my passing and wave. I went to my room and lay down on my bed. I had slept a lot today so I was wide-awake. I heard a _scritch-scritch_ sound like claws on concrete. That was an odd noise, so I got up and looked out my window.

Something moved in the bushes underneath my window, but I couldn't see because of the balcony. I opened the window (I know it's a glass door, but I don't care) and stepped onto the balcony. The night air was cool and refreshing with a strong breeze. I looked over the balcony railing at the bushes and felt a presence behind me. I turned around and saw this blue jelly stuff sliding its way up the wall and onto the balcony. It reminded me of Chaos.

"Shit." I said as the jelly stuff formed itself into another of those hideously disfigured and wingless dragons.

The dragon thing stood hunched over on two legs with its long ropey arms close to the ground. It reminded me of a cross between these two Digimon I had seen called Devidramon and Coelamon. It drooled, mouth agape to show its fangs and it stared at me. Was it waiting for me to move? I slowly took a step over and it followed my movement. Yup, it was waiting for me to move.

"Can you talk?" I asked it. No harm trying.

"Why?" It responded in this breathy, gravel voice. It was more along the lines of a growl than a word.

"Cuz I kinda wanna know why you're trying to eat me." I said cautiously.

"Need power, why else eat? You have friend, give me friend!" It hissed and spat as it spoke and it lunged clumsily.

"Yeah, but why me?" I asked as I dodged its attack. The monster spat some drool and I dodged that.

"You make light power. We see light of power. More power, more light. Where friend? You kill friend I kill you friend!" It hissed. Then it turned and ran through the open glass door.

I lunged after it trying to catch it. It was so _fast_. It slipped under my closed bedroom door and I slammed into it trying to catch it. I rubbed my head as I went after it. What I didn't know was that it was smart. I nearly ran into its mouth as it hissed at me. I slashed with my claws and it shrieked as it bled. This thing was truly strange, because it was translucent like Chaos, but it bled. It felt solid when I had smacked it, but it moved like Chaos under doors and such.

"What the fuck _are_ you?!" I shouted as I tried to back away before it could strike back.

"Your death!" It spat as it rushed me. I closed my eyes as it came at me, but it stopped.

I opened my eyes to see it right on top of me, but it was looking at its side. I looked where it was looking and saw that Knuckles had its tail in one hand and his shovel claws to its throat. I scrambled away from the creature and shook off the creature's drool. Amy had come out of her room and I could hear Tails' tails rotating as he flew up the stairs. The creature hissed at the new people and it tried to scramble away, but Knuckles held it firmly.

"What the fu—I mean world?" Knuckles said, faltering at the curse word he was about to use when he saw Amy's glare. The creature wriggled and spat as Knuckles held it upside down by the tail. It hissed and tried to bite, but Knuckles smacked it so hard that I flinched for it. The creature whimpered and cried like a baby crocodile.

"What on earth is going on?" Amy asked.

"This is another of those creatures. It tried to attack me, mainly because I killed its friend." I said, feeling drugged from the thing's drool.

"My friend! I want friend! Kill the black one!" The creature cried.

"Your friend tried to kill my friend, so quit complaining." Knuckles growled at the creature. It trembled and whimpered.

"I don't know about this thing, maybe it won't hurt you anymore. I think it's afraid of Knuckles." Tails said as he looked at the thing.

"Did you see the way Knuckles cold-clocked it? I'd be afraid of Knuckles too. Put it down, I don't think it'll do anything, will you?" I said to the creature.

"No, I do nothing. I stay still." It said.

Knuckles put the creature down and it sat on the floor and sulked. Tails and Knuckles took care of the creature while I scrubbed the drool out of my fur. I was desperately trying to stay awake, but I was feeling groggier by the second. Rouge had made a cup of coffee for me when I got out of the shower. I took one sip and choked, I didn't know coffee could be stronger than I made it.

"Wow, did I actually make it too strong? I didn't know that was possible." Rouge said as she tried to suppress giggling.

"I didn't know that was possible either." I said.

The coffee wasn't helping at all. I went downstairs and stood by the stairs, feeling myself nod off as I leaned against the wall. Sonic had come in and he was looking at the creature. Knuckles was standing next to it like a bouncer and it was trembling. Tails was looking at it too.

"You got a name little lizard dude?" Sonic asked the creature.

"Karo. Please, make red go way. I stay still, I stay still." The creature said as it shrank under Knuckles' fierce gaze.

"Leave it be Knuckles." I said sleepily. I was surprised that I had stayed awake this long.

"Why should I? Its friend tried to kill you and it tried to kill you too. I don't trust it." Knuckles said with a growl.

"Hey Tails, what about those plant things you have in your lab? What are they made of?" I asked, speaking very carefully as to be understood. I was fighting for every waking minute.

"Umm, you mean those plants I was experimenting with using Chaos energy?" Tails asked.

"Yes, the blue glowing ones." I said, recalling what he had on his workbench.

"Yeah they are infused with Chaos energy. Why do you ask?" Tails asked, hovering over to me.

"Feed them to the creature." I said. I sat down and promptly passed out.

"Black one. Wake up kind one!"

I opened my eyes to Tails and the lizard—Karo, I corrected myself. Karo wasn't an ugly creature anymore, now he was a rather endearing wingless dragon. He was still the color of Chaos, but he had normal looking red eyes. Another thing I noticed, he wasn't _drooling_ anymore. I sat up and Karo scrambled off the bed.

"That was a good thing, feeding him those plants. As I'm sure you've noticed he isn't drooling anymore, he stopped as soon as he was fed him. It must be some sort of weapon for catching prey, though why he was chasing you is still beyond me." Tails said as he scratched Karo's dragon-like horns.

"Black one, kind one makes bright power light." Karo said.

"He keeps saying that whenever I ask him why he was trying to eat you. I don't think he knows how to answer any other way. I wonder how he even knows as much English as he does. Anyway, I guess eating makes him shed, because that's why he's not ugly anymore." Tails said. His nose screwed up in disgust at mention of the shedding.

"So, what's this kind one stuff?" I asked. It was meant more for Tails than Karo, but the beast answered.

"Black one, kind one not let red hurt Karo. Karo want sorry to kind one. Karo want kind one friend." Karo said simply.

"My name is Shadow. You want to _say_ sorry. You want me to _be_ your friend." I said, hoping that the creature would understand my correction.

"Karo want to _say_ sorry to kind one. Karo want…_Shadow _to be his friend." Karo said, faltering when he tried to say my name. It was more as if he was saying _Sadda_ than Shadow.

I felt just as I did when I had run into Karo's friend the other day, groggy and with a headache. I got up and stretched, yawning. Karo hopped over to me. He had normal length arms, he now reminded me of a velociraptor/dragon mix. He half loped, half hopped on his back legs and occasionally walked on all fours as he trailed Tails and me downstairs.

Karo hid behind me at the sight of Knuckles, who glared suspiciously. I waved Knuckles off and continued into the kitchen. Amy was in the kitchen cooking. Karo attacked a glowing plant on the counter and even gobbled up the dirt. Rouge was nowhere to be seen, but Sonic was sitting at the table. He was drinking orange juice and had some toast on a plate.

"Good morning Shadow! Want some eggs? Who knew that Karo was so helpful! He ate the rotten vegetables in the fridge!" Amy said cheerfully. _Glad you like him_, I thought.

I sat down and ate what she put in front of me, eggs, bacon, toast, a veggie omelet, and a good cup of coffee. Karo sniffed the last of my coffee and I watched him test it with his tongue and then slowly lap it up. My ear twitched in annoyance as I watched the lizard drink the last of my coffee. Next, he sniffed at the half an omelet that I wasn't going to finish. He munched that down. Then, he sniffed at my bacon.

"You can't have my bacon." I said and he lay down and sulked. I thought he ate chaos energy.

"What do you normally eat Karo?" I asked the lizard. He looked up and rolled his eyes, presumably in thought.

"If it glow with power light I eat. Bitter drink glow faint, yellow thing glow faint. But it glow so I eat. Crunchy thing just taste good." Karo said, speaking slowly. His words were poorly formed and barely understandable as he spoke.

"So…what is glowing in here?" Sonic asked curiously.

"You, _Shadow_, pink one, two tail. You, red and _Shadow_ make bright power light. Dying plant make more power light than live plant. Except for blue plant two tail give Karo, that good." Karo said carefully. He tried very hard to pronounce my name correctly, but it still sounded more like _Saddo_ than Shadow.

"So, basically anything that was recently living or is living. However, you, Shadow, and Knuckles make a brighter 'power light' than everyone else." Tails said to Sonic.

"Maybe that has something to do with our higher amounts of chaos energy. I wonder how he would react to a Chaos Emerald." I said to my bacon. I decided that I didn't really want it and I tossed it to Karo, who gobbled it up happily.

"Maybe we should see." Tails said before running downstairs to his lab. He came back up quickly with a Chaos Emerald.

Karo stared at the Emerald and began to drool slightly. He walked over cautiously and sniffed the Emerald. Tails used a test tube to catch some of the slime from Karo's mouth. Karo snatched the Chaos Emerald and ran away with it. I grabbed his tail and he tried to scrabble away. Before I could wrench the Emerald from his mouth however, he swallowed it.

Everyone stared at Karo and he crouched low in fear of an explosion of anger. However, none of us could move out of surprise. Karo started to glow and the whole process reminded me of a Pokémon evolving, except his skin split along his back and fell off like a shroud. Now there was a bigger Karo with small wings. He looked even more like a small dragon now, although he still wasn't that big what with all his strength and speed.

"I don't think that's a good thing for us." I said.


	3. Chapter 3

I stared at Karo, the now winged lizard. Karo had just eaten one of the Chaos Emeralds. How were we going to get it back? We didn't have time to wonder about the consequences though, because Knuckles came rushing in. He nearly tripped on Karo as he scrambled into the kitchen.

"You've got to see the news! There's more of him, and they're not friendly!" Knuckles halfway shouted.

Everyone scrambled from his or her seats to get into the living room. On the TV was a scene of downtown Metropolis being burned to the ground. It was akin to the invasion of the Black Arms several years ago. The news station that was capturing the scene of downtown Metropolis was using a helicopter instead of a ground crew, but that didn't save it.

The camera shook violently and the people screamed. A hideous blue creature only too familiar came through the helicopter door from off of the top. The helicopter blades could be heard malfunctioning as another creature joined the first in attacking the helicopter's occupants. The camera dropped out of the helicopter, presumably with the cameraman because his screams could still be heard as he fell. The camera turned towards the sky and a creature following the cameraman out of the helicopter.

I couldn't watch anymore. Before I could really think, my feet were carrying me towards and out the door. I heard Sonic shouting for me to wait up and he quickly caught up to me. Knuckles was right behind us, he could keep up with Sonic and me to a certain point. The city was coming up quickly as the three of us weren't wasting any time. I heard an odd sound as we approached the burning city, a sort of whistling. I looked at Sonic and he glanced over to meet my gaze, but Knuckles saw it.

"Look out!" Knuckles shouted and he tackled Sonic and swung at me, knocking us all out of the way of a bazooka missile.

The missile had been following a flying creature, who was just as ugly as Karo used to be. Tails must have been right about eating causing the "beauty shedding." This winged lizard was twice as big as Karo, but, with the exception of being absolutely hideous, it looked just like him. Perhaps Karo was the runt of a litter, maybe that's why he had been travelling with his dead friend in Tails' lab.

The lizard made a hideous screeching sound that was somewhat akin to laughter as the bazooka missile nearly hit us. Knuckles promptly chased the screeching lizard and socked it in the jaw. If it had been half as intelligent as Karo, it wouldn't have been flying so low, or at least not staying still while gloating.

I heard an angry cry like that of a velociraptor and I looked up. Another flying lizard was heading straight for me at a dive. I picked up what was closest to me, which just so happened to be a stop sign, and swung it as hard as I could. The creature made a sort of roar-squawk as the sign hit it square in the side. I could feel the creature's weight at the end of the sign and the sign bent slightly with the force of my swing against its weight. The creature landed with a thud and Knuckles crushed it with a broken piece of building.

Sonic was nearby, making great sport of riding a wingless one. The creature was shrieking and was desperately trying to throw him off, but Sonic had hold of the horns on its head. Normally I would have scowled at him, but I simply shook my head and smiled in exasperation. There was nothing to be done about his instinctive need to find something silly to do in a dire situation. He laughed as the creature ran, twisted, and bucked.

Knuckles was having great fun releasing some pent-up rage. He released a laugh as he roared at a wingless creature and scared it off. When one tried to sneak-up behind him, I tossed the stop sign at it. The sign hit it behind the neck, under its horns and stunned it. I jumped on the creature, grabbed its horns, and broke its neck. Knuckles turned around as soon as I had grabbed the creature. His features were grave as he thanked me with a silent nod.

"OUCH!" Sonic shouted as he was finally thrown. Knuckles and I turned to see him knock a piece of falling architecture onto two creatures.

Sonic waved and sped off to find more of the ugly things.

"Guess we're splitting up." Knuckles said quietly. I shrugged and we parted.

I ran through the city, killing as I went. One had tackled me from the shadows while I was trying to kill another. Apparently, they all hunted in pairs. As I came closer to the center of the city, the creatures were getting bigger. Perhaps whatever was ordering them around was in the center.

I rounded one corner after killing a large winged creature when I ran into another. I stopped dead in my tracks lest I smash into it. It stopped too and regarded me warily. The creature stood on two legs, unlike most of the others who either went about on all four or did the funny lope-hop that Karo did with their front limbs close to the floor in case they got tired. This one stood like a dinosaur and reminded me greatly of Ambient the organoid from _Zoids: Chaotic Century_. He was a darker blue than the others, who were colored like Chaos. He was colored like a sapphire and was twice my height.

"You don't live here." The creature said to me. I hadn't expected it to talk and I felt my ears go up in surprise.

"I do live here. Not in the city, but this is my home." I said cautiously.

"No, you don't belong here. You shine like a star. The normal ones glow, but you shine with brilliance." The creature said. Talking to it so plainly after listening to Karo's primitive speech was nerve-racking for some reason.

"What do you mean? I was born here, created here. It's _you_ who doesn't belong here." I said. The creature was moving in a wide arc and I moved with it. I wasn't going to let it get close and I kept a careful eye on my surroundings.

"You are right, we don't belong here. What is your name star creature?" It said. The creature had a slightly serpentine speech and its voice was pleasant to the ears, nothing like the screech of the others or the hatchling chirp of Karo.

"Shadow, and yours?" I said without thinking. What was this thing trying to do?

"Lirias. My name is Lirias. I am a general in the army of my people." The creature said after some thought. The creature stretched wings that I hadn't noticed, that was how tightly folded and perfectly camouflaged they were. This was what Karo could become?

"And your people would be?" I said carefully. I had the subtle feeling that I was being surrounded.

"Our name is not pronounceable in your speech. We thrive on the life force of things. We like fresh meat every now and then. Most sentient creatures want to know our purpose and that is why I tell you." Lirias said as he scratched his neck.

"How exactly do you know 'our speech'?" I said. I saw a quick tail in a nearby alley. I _was_ being surrounded.

"I don't think that's really important to answer right now, wouldn't you agree? I know many speeches, but that will not matter if I kill you." Lirias said, as he looked into the alley that I had seen a flicker of tail in.

I resisted the urge to correct him and tell him that the word was _languages_. I was starting to pick up that habit from Amy. Lirias barked out some noise like a velociraptor at the alley and I heard a scuttle as the hidden creature fled. I wondered if Lirias was letting me live or was simply trying to save me for himself.

"Why don't you just give up Shadow?" Lirias said pronouncing my name fully. "It would go much easier. You aren't even like the others. You have your own power. Why bother trying to save the rest of them? What do they do for you?"

I growled and my ears flattened in annoyance. What did he care? Perhaps he was afraid of fighting me and that was why he was saying these things. Or maybe he could just see inside my head. Generals were chosen for military prowess; maybe his strength was seeing his enemies' weaknesses.

"I don't give up easily, I'm not a quitter. If I was, I would have been dead a long time ago. As far as saving the rest? I have family; surely, that means something to you. I have a baby from your people; he can't even say my name. He tried to kill me just because I had killed his friend." I said vehemently.

Lirias' eyes widened and he ruffled his wings.

"You have a child? What is his name?" Lirias asked, rather desperately. His sudden change in demeanor made me confused. I knew they cared for each other, but his reaction seemed a little off.

"Why?" I asked simply.

"Tell me!" He said forcefully, enough to make me jump.

"Did you lose a baby? You shouldn't let young ones travel about by themselves if you're so concerned." I said matter-of-factly.

Lirias growled and started drooling heavily. Crap that now meant the hunt was on. I turned tail and ran as fast as I could through the destruction. Karo had to be related to Lirias for him to react this way. That wasn't going to be a good thing later and I knew it. G.U.N. was bringing in artillery and a few airplanes now, making it even harder for me to flee the enraged creature behind me.

I didn't have to worry about Lirias for much longer though. I heard a car alarm, turned to look, and was promptly smacked across the road by a car. It nearly crushed me, but thankfully, it bounced before it hit me. I was slammed into an upturned piece of road and it rolled as it hit me. Thanks to durable bones, I was heartily bruised, but nothing broke.

I looked up, choking in pain, and saw that Lirias had backed off. Of course then I saw why. There was a huge _dragon_ in front of me. It was almost as dark as I was and it breathed heavily. It had huge wings and it was as tall as a 23-story building. Very few times have I ever been struck with fear or panic. This was one of those few times.

I faintly heard my name being called, but I couldn't drag my attention away from the monstrous beast in front of me. I could see its eyes from where I was, they were red like mine, as red as blood and they held me where I was. A hand on my arm and the dragon's deafening roar snapped me from the trance as the dragon's tail came down with a shockwave. If Sonic hadn't grabbed me just then I would have been a part of the road.

I immediately snapped into focus when I saw Knuckles dirty and bruised with a gash across his chest and Sonic with a cut across his face. This was no time to be scared stiff. I turned to face the dragon, my ears still ringing from its roar. I looked at Knuckles and Sonic, a plan already forming in our minds, so used to fighting together were we. Knuckles dashed around to one side while Sonic to the other and I went straight for its face.

The dragon spat some drool at me. I dodged it and watched where it hit a building. It burned the architecture like acid. That wouldn't be fun to be hit with. I charged again, the dragon momentarily distracted by Knuckles digging his shovel claws into the dragon's leg. Lirias quickly went after Knuckles, chasing him around to the front of the dragon. Lirias then ran back to where he was behind the dragon. What was the purpose of that?

I found out what the purpose of Lirias' intervention was when my Homing Attack was thwarted by a gust of wind from just one of the dragon's wings. The wind forced me to the ground and Sonic was running back towards Knuckles and me. I was in my battle position, looking more like an Olympic sprinter who had turned to see what was going on to his left with one hand off the ground.

I didn't see the dragon's tail. As big as the beast was, it was strikingly fast. Sonic was only three-quarters of the way to me and Knuckles when the tail hit us. I felt it hit me square across the gut. I could feel ribs cracking, if not breaking. All thoughts were knocked away with the air in my lungs. I felt nothing but air and the muscles beneath the monster's skin.

As I was flung away from the tail, I felt air for a second before I slammed through the corner of a building. I struck the architecture and the steel. I felt the steel give way to the force of my body and I went through the building as if I was starring in DragonBall Z. Again, I felt nothing but air after I passed through the building before I slammed through a window. I felt the shards of glass as they buried into my flesh, even my spines.

More than just ribs were broken and I knew it. I thanked the heavens for Dr. Gerald's innovative spirit, because the breaks, even my spine, would most likely not be fatal. I would just have to lie still for a while, which wouldn't be much of a problem. I hit the floor of the building's level. The pain was so intense that I couldn't do anything but scream.

I think everything stopped what it was doing while I screamed. I couldn't stop myself. I just let out one long scream that I could barely hear echo across the city. The landing had pushed all the shards of glass even deeper into my back, arms, and legs, making the pain that much greater. I didn't even know I could hold so much air in my lungs for it. I just landed, felt all the pain rush in at once and screamed.

When I could finally stop screaming I could feel bones sliding back into place and healing. My regenerative abilities kicked in quickly. The worst was feeling my spine correct and heal itself. I couldn't contain myself, though my subsequent screams weren't so loud as that first one. As soon as I could move, I writhed in agony. I finally turned on my side and instinctively curled into a protective ball. I could control myself now; I simply growled and whimpered with the pain. I hoped that Knuckles and Sonic hadn't suffered the same fate when they had been hit, they would most certainly die.

I don't know how long I lay there, but I faded in and out of consciousness. I heard a distraught voice, perhaps Tails, before feeling a surge of pain and a wave of vertigo. I vomited as I was lifted off the floor and tried to keep from screaming as I was put onto a seat. It had to be the X Tornado because Amy would certainly look for Sonic. I passed out in the plane.


	4. Chapter 4

AP: Hello peoples

Shadow: Someone save me from this chick!

AP: Hush Shadow, you aren't going to die.

Shadow: What about the part where you said _can he save everyone?_ Who are you planning to kill?

AP: Stop sniveling! There will be no spoilers! Now, do the disclaimer!

Shadow: Hmmph, fine. Angelic Puppy does not own me or any other Sonic the Hedgehog characters; we are copyright to SEGA.

AP: A note to you all, my twin sister, Mirror the Fox, is making a version of this story from Sonic's point of view. So, if any of you read her story, don't worry she isn't plagiarizing. Now on to the story!

I awoke to dreadfully bright light. I opened my eyes and immediately shut them again. My senses were under attack by hospital crap. I could smell the medicines, antiseptics, waste, and most of all the _blood_. My ears were assaulted by the buzz and incessant beeping of electronics and screaming both nearby and probably three floors down. I was extremely hot under some puffy blanket and then there were, of course, the lights.

I grunted as I tried to sit up. Everything was painful, even breathing. All my joints cracked, including my entire back, and I felt needles of pain shoot through me. I looked around to see people running around everywhere. There were so many injured people that the least injured ones were forced to be on cots or the floor. A machine started whining as someone crashed causing doctors and nurses to scramble to save the dying person.

"Sadda! Sadda!" A baby voice called. At the same time, I heard screaming and yelling as Karo ran through the halls trying to find me.

"What's going on here? Who let this thing in here?" I heard a guard yell.

"Sorry sir, he's with us! He's a good one I swear! He won't hurt anybody!" I heard Tails saying to the guard in a pleading tone.

I heard a gun cock and I jumped to my feet and ran to where I heard them. I placed myself between the guard, a G.U.N. agent, and little Karo. The agent jumped in surprise at my sudden appearance, as did every else. Karo, however, didn't hesitate to shout in my ear.

"Sadda! Saddo! You good! You good!" Karo chirped happily. His voice still sounded like a mix between a toddler and a baby dinosaur.

I didn't have much strength though and I grunted and fell. Tails panicked and tried to catch me, but I mostly stopped myself by landing on my knee. Tails was able to help me up and Karo stayed close behind, just in case. I noticed Cream and Amy looking around, probably trying to find Knuckles and Sonic. I also noticed Mari. That stupid white hedgehog was here too, probably to irk me about leaving Tails all alone in this time of crisis.

"Tails let me help him, isn't he too heavy for you?" Mari said.

I shrugged off Tails' arm and made my way back to my bed, albeit painfully. I didn't want her help and I didn't want to burden Tails. I sat down heavily on my bed and promptly puked on the floor. I heard exclamations of disgust and someone quickly came over to clean it up. I noticed Mari with her hands on her hips as she glared at me. I also noticed Karo nosing my leg. His expression was frightened.

"What's wrong Karo?" I asked, patting the lizard on the head.

"Dying plant make bright power light than living, except for blue plant. Blue plant make bright power light regardless." Karo said earnestly.

I didn't get it, what did a plant have to do with anything? Then it dawned on me. I looked around the floor at all the people. Some of them were dying and this was only one floor. All of these people were like those rotting vegetables in the fridge at Amy's house, those same vegetables that Karo had happily eaten. This place was just one big target, a dish full of food sitting on a table.

"Aw crap." I muttered. Tails had gone to find the others, but Mari was still next to me and she looked at me like I was crazy.

"What are you cursing for? Your pet only said something about plants." Mari said sarcastically.

"If you understood the reasons behind what he said you'd be cursing too." I spat back.

Mari flinched slightly at my vehement tone, but she "hmphed" and walked away. I sighed and lay against my bed, my back and spines stinging. I wondered what the doctors had thought when they found all that glass in my back and not a bone broken. Karo climbed onto the bed and curled up at my feet. He stared at me in a way that reminded me of a dog who wanted you to get up and get him something.

"What's wrong Karo?" I asked.

"Miss big me. Miss…_daddy_." He said after some thought.

"Your father? Is he here?" I asked, nervous now, Lirias' picture already in my mind.

"Yes, he…he…what word for people leader?"

"What kind of people leader?"

"People leader of…fighting…people leader of…war?" Karo said questioningly.

"A leader of war is usually called a general." I said my heart in my throat.

"Yeah, he _ge-ner-al_. Clawrostira like him lots. Daddy Clawrostira's favorite." Karo said happily, he obviously admired his father.

"Clawrostira? Who is that?" I asked, thinking the name to be rather strange.

"Clawrostira is big leader, he really big. I never seen, but he bigger than daddy." Karo said thoughtfully.

I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Little kids, Tails and Cream included, always thought of their parents or older siblings as a perfect example. I remembered hearing Cream tell a little kid that a tank wasn't as strong as Knuckles when the kid had asked how strong he was. The kid said that didn't tell how strong he was, but Cream just blew the kid off. Tails and Amy came over just then.

"Shadow are you ok? How are you feeling?" Amy said, smoothing a stray quill back into place.

"Like I got hit by, oh I don't know, a building." I said sarcastically as I grinned ruefully.

"That's not funny Shadow!" Amy said, upset. I could see she was really on the verge of tears.

"I'll live, I swear. I'll be around to rob you of eggs another day."

"You're such a jerk Shadow." Amy said, sniffling and wiping away tears with a choked laugh.

"What's up with Sonic and Knuckles?" I asked.

"Sonic is still unconscious, but that's because he's drugged with morphine. He has a dislocated shoulder and a fractured tibia." Tails said.

"Because I know you so well I'm going to assume that's a leg bone, however talk to me like I'm Cream next time." I said rolling my eyes at the little fox's word choice.

"What about Knuckles? He's about as unbreakable as I am, although he doesn't heal quite as fast." I said.

"Knuckles is strapped to his bed, he's cursing everyone out. He's worried about Rouge, but the doctors won't let him go look for her." Amy said through sniffles.

"Why not?" I asked. I was surprised that he hadn't already broken the restraints.

"He's really weak from shock, but he'll be ok in a couple hours like you were." Tails said.

I heard what sounded to be Rouge, but it was faint. I listened hard, pouring all my concentration into listening and I heard her asking about Knuckles. Of course, all this concentration meant that I could hear the infuriated Knuckles using words even I never used, in several different languages.

"I think Rouge is here." I said.

I could see everyone else listening carefully and Amy nodded slowly.

"Knuckles stopped shouting, rather abruptly too. She must be here then, I'll go check." Amy said as she walked out. Just then, Cream and Mari came in.

"Shadow! I was sooo worried!" Cream said as she jumped at me and wrapped her arms around my neck. I barely restrained a growl of pain, but I still stiffened in pain. Cream took no notice she was so upset.

"I was so worried about everyone! I thought I might not see anyone again! Tails managed to save me from those horrible creatures! Why couldn't they be like Karo and be nice?" Cream said, burying her face in my fur.

I had never liked being a tear rag. I wasn't an affectionate person; close contact bothered me intensely, partly because I wasn't used to it and partly because it aroused bad memories. However, a girl crying always killed any animosity towards being touched, although I was still awkward and uncomfortable. I hugged Cream, every fiber of my being wanting to push her off me and tell her to go away, but I was trying to change the cruelty branded into my tortured soul into empathy for others. I saw Tails suppressing a grin and I glared, my ears flattening in annoyance.

"What are you going to do now Darkie? Your buddies are out of commission and you're barely together yourself." Mari said.

Her attitude was both mocking and sympathetic, something I thought that only Eggman could accomplish. It irked me into growling viciously, making everyone, even Karo, flinch and back away. Cream was the only one who didn't even attempt to move. She was probably the only one, even outdoing Rouge, who would love me no matter what I did.

"What am I going to do Snowball? I'll tell you, I'm going to protect my family! Even if it means my death, even if I'm all alone, I will not rest until they are safe." I growled angrily.

I got up, feeling the anger rejuvenating me and I walked out, trying to find Sonic. I still held Cream in my arms, but protectively rather than awkwardly. Karo followed me; I could hear his claws scrabbling for purchase on the linoleum tiles. I walked around on the floor until I nearly ran into Rouge, who wasn't paying attention.

"Shadow! You're ok!" Rouge said; the relief in her voice so obvious and so large that it took the rage right out of me. She smiled when she saw Cream in my arms.

"Where's Knuckles?" I asked.

"In that room." She pointed to a door at the end of the hall. "He's resting, albeit grudgingly. Sonic's in there too, although he's still sleeping." Rouge said, looking back towards the rooms.

"Have you been able to find out anything?" I asked.

"G.U.N. doesn't know too much more than us. I think we have more of an advantage with our cute baby dragon, but not many leads." Rouge said with a sigh.

"This place is a sitting duck."

"What do you mean?"

"Tell her what you told me Karo."

"Dying plant make bright power light than living plant. Except blue plant, it make bright no matter what." Karo said calmly, sitting on his haunches. I could easily see him as his father someday, leading his people to conquer a planet.

"Um, what does this have to do with the hospital?" Rouge asked; her face in her hand in thought.

"Sonic, Knuckles, and I are the blue plants. Everyone else is either a live vegetable or one of those rotting ones that he ate out of Amy's fridge."

Rouge's eyes went wide with understanding. Tails swallowed hard and I heard Mari gasp faintly. Cream pressed into my fur and she trembled in fear. I went to Knuckles and Sonic's room, where Knuckles was sitting up and glaring at the wall, deep in thought. Amy was by Sonic, talking to him it seemed. I put Cream in Knuckles' lap and he took her without breaking his concentration. If it were me, my entire train of thought would've been interrupted. I went over to Sonic's bed and stood next to Amy.

"Hey Shadow, glad to see you up and runnin'." Sonic said groggily.

"I'm hardly running. You know it took me _five whole minutes_ to get over here?" I said sarcastically. Sonic laughed and tried to sit up, but even I could tell he had serious vertigo.

"Did you know that one dose of that morphine crap can knock you out for several hours?" Sonic said as he held on to the bed rails to keep himself upright.

"I know now."

"We need a plan." Knuckles said.

We all turned to face him.

"What you got in mind?" I asked.

"This is too big for us. We need the Chaos Emeralds. I wonder…." Knuckles said, going back to his contemplation.

"You wonder what?" Sonic said. His words were still a bit slurred.

Knuckles didn't respond. Knuckles was intelligent, even though his common sense didn't always prove it. He also had an iron will and once he had his mind set on something no one could break it. If he thought up a plan, he would think of angles even Tails wouldn't think to cover. We would all have to wait before getting an answer. He didn't keep us waiting very long though.

"We need the Master Emerald and we need the Chaos Emeralds. We'll have to figure out how to get the one that Karo swallowed, but I have a plan. We just need someone willing to go to Angel Island." Knuckles said thoughtfully.

"Knuckles, you're not thinking of what I think you are…are you?" Sonic said carefully.

"I don't know, what are you thinking?"

"Do they really have enough power for that? I haven't seen you _Super_ in years. Not to mention there's never been more than two of us Super at the same time." Sonic said, slight incredulity in his voice.

"Knuckles can go Super? I suppose I should have expected as much, but what does he destroy _mountains_ in his spare time as Super?" I said, completely incredulous.

I had never dreamed of Knuckles going Super. Sonic was also right, there had never been more than two people Super at the same time. _Would_ the Chaos Emeralds have enough power even with the Master Emerald?

"I'm thinking even past that Sonic. Something you've only done once and that neither Shadow nor I have done. I'm talking creating the Super Emeralds again. I'm talking going Hyper."

AP: Mwahahahaha! The plot thickens! What will be decided? How will Knuckles' suggestion be received by the others? What will be the mysterious alien lizard-dragons' next move? What will happen with little Karo now that it's been revealed that his father is the highest-ranking general in the aliens' army? Find out in chapter 5 and probably chapter 6!

Shadow: this chick is crazy, but, despite _my_ extensive pain, I like the story.

AP: ^_^


	5. Chapter 5

AP: Hello peoples

AP: Hello peoples! I hope you're all enjoying Blood Fire!

Shadow: What exactly are you trying to do with Mari? You're not going to hook me up with her are you?

AP: What is with you and trying to get spoilers? Be a good hedgie and read!

Shadow: XP

AP: Do the disclaimer for me darling

Shadow: Angelic Puppy does not own me or any Sonic the Hedgehog characters; we are copyright to SEGA.

AP: Enjoy chapter five of Blood Fire!

--

I didn't understand what was going on. What was _Hyper_? I had never heard of it before. I didn't even consider that there was anything beyond Super. Whatever it was, Sonic knew and he responded to Knuckles' suggestion quickly.

"Are you serious Knuckles? I haven't gone Hyper in _years_. Years! You've never gone Hyper. Do the Chaos Emeralds, even if we charge them to the Super Emeralds, really have enough power for all _three_ of us to go Hyper? There's never even been more than two of us Super at the same time, much less Hyper!" Sonic shouted in exasperation.

"Calm down Sonic. I'm a Guardian; I know more about the Chaos Emeralds than anyone else. They'll have enough power. Now, four of the Chaos Emeralds are on Angel Island with the Master Emerald. You all had three, Karo ate one, so the other two are still in Tails' lab. We need someone to go get them. Knuckles said calmly.

"Actually the other two are in the X Tornado, so they're here." Tails said. "I'll go get them now." He left to go get the Chaos Emeralds.

"_Sadda,_ what Chaos Emerald? Is that shiny stone Karo eat?" Karo asked, nudging my hand with his nose.

"Yes Karo, the Chaos Emerald is the stone you ate. But don't worry about it for now, we'll worry about it later. " I said, petting his head.

"Saddo need stone, Karo give. Stone not eat like plant, Karo give." Karo said and with that he promptly upchucked the Chaos Emerald.

Everyone backed away in disgust. The Chaos Emerald was covered in a brown film that concealed its luminance. It was also covered in thick, slimy, drool. I only had one thing to say about it.

"I'm not picking that up."

Rouge and Amy left for Angel Island to get the Master Emerald and the remaining Chaos Emeralds soon after. I wondered about going Hyper. I had no idea what that was or how to go about getting there. It had never occurred to me that there was even a state beyond Super. Sonic was also right in saying that there had never been more than two of us Super at the same time.

"Knuckles what is Hyper? I've never heard of it." I asked.

"That would be a better question to ask Sonic. He's the only one who's ever gone Hyper."

"I don't know how to explain it! All I can really say is that it's nothing like Super. It's beyond anything you've ever felt. Like I said before, I haven't gone Hyper in years and it was only once. I have no doubt that Knuckles could go Hyper, but I'm not even sure if I can again…." Sonic said.

"Nonsense, it's exactly the same as going Super, just with the Super Emeralds instead of the regular Emeralds. Stop being afraid; not to mention, this may be our only shot. I've never seen anything so powerful as that huge dragon." Knuckles said condescendingly.

"Big dragon? Clawrostira maybe?" Karo squeaked.

"Maybe, why, do you know anything about him?" I asked.

"Clawrostira no eat normal power light like others. Clawrostira eat super big power light. Eat planet power light." Karo said.

"He eats a _planet's_ power?" I said with a gulp.

"He only eat every daddy life. Every time planet go 'round star lot's of times, maybe even more than daddy life." Karo said simply.

"Karo that doesn't tell us anything!" Sonic said, exasperated.

"He's right Karo. How old is your father?" Knuckles asked.

"Karo not know, just know daddy older than mommy." Karo said, fear present in his voice. I sighed and patted Karo on the head.

"It's ok, Karo. Don't worry about it. What are we going to do about that anyway?" I said.

"About what?" Sonic and Knuckles answered in unison.

"About a certain high-ranking military officer in our enemy's army. The one that Karo knows exceptionally well." I said while quickly glancing at the confused Karo.

"Oh, _that_. What are we going to do?" Knuckles said gravely. We couldn't in good conscience kill Karo's father.

We didn't have time to wonder what we could do, because Tails came rushing in at that moment. He had the two Emeralds, but Dr. Eggman was following him. All of us jumped to our feet at the site of him.

"Relax you annoying creatures. I haven't come to fight you! I've come to see what can be done about our predicament. You didn't think that you were the only ones under attack." Dr. Eggman said haughtily.

"Gee Doctor, it's always good to know we can count on you." I said calmly.

Just then, three more people joined us in the room. Two G.U.N. soldiers and the G.U.N. Commander entered the room. The Commander glared daggers at me and I glared back. He had always hated me and the feeling was mutual. Even after so many years of saving the planet and the knowledge of what truly happened on the ARK, he still blamed me for everything. He probably was trying to think of a way to blame me for the invasion of the creatures.

The Commander was about to speak to everyone in the room except me when he saw Karo.

"What is _that_ doing in here? Am I to believe that you are keeping one of these killing monsters as a _pet_?" The Commander spat in disgust as he pointed at Karo. The poor baby dragon quivered in fear and scrambled onto the floor to stand behind me.

"Maybe I am. He's a baby and perfectly harmless. His father doesn't know where he is so I see no need to panic." I said coldly.

The Commander folded his arms and glared at me. I did the same, refusing to back down. Eggman cleared his throat and began to speak.

"I think we should put all our differences aside in favor of the well being of the populace. Gentlemen, I come here to ask a favor and to offer my assistance. These creatures are just as bad, if not worse than the Black Arms invasion several years ago. The creatures are nimble and are expert hunters. Some fly and some don't, but they never hunt lone. This, I believe, is the secret to their success, their superb ability to work together." Eggman said.

"I could have told you that Doctor. Tell us something new." I said. I curtly turned my head away from the Commander, dismissing him as being unworthy of having a glaring contest with me.

Eggman stroked his mustache.

"I believe we need to follow their example. I have seen them fight, as have you I'm sure. Even if their partner falls, they find another and join them. Their tactics are flawless and innovative. They use everything to their advantage. We are not talking some mindless soldiers who need to be told everything, like the Black Arms; we are talking a race of fighters who are as creative as we are, if not more so." Eggman said matter-of-factly.

He had to be saying this for the benefit of the Commander, because we always knew everything he did about an enemy. Whatever the reason was, the Commander responded.

"Bah! I will believe that when I see it. I don't believe in smart aliens, they're all stupid if you ask me. The fact that they attacked this planet makes them foolish." The Commander said vehemently.

"Yes, these creatures are stupid. The Black Arms actually were stupid and you couldn't drive them out of the city without Sonic, Knuckles, and me. The Black Arms, who were truly stupid, took out the CIA mainframe. These creatures, which are very intelligent, are killing your people faster than you can send them to be killed. Yes, they are the foolish ones indeed. I think you need to rethink your own overpowering stupidity before you force your prejudices on others." I said venomously. This was the reason I hated the Commander.

"Keep your trap shut experiment! You will speak when spoken to!" The Commander shouted.

Karo and I both hissed at the Commander and he took a step back from our viciousness. The two G.U.N. soldiers at his side cocked their weapons and leveled them at us.

"Sad that you need others to guard your cowardice. As condescending of others as you are and as sure as you are of other's inferiority to you, someone would think that you could thoroughly defend yourself." I spat in irritated disgust.

"I don't need to respond to an object." The Commander said simply. I had more to say, but Sonic interrupted.

"What do you want Eggman? You said that you wanted to work together. We already have a plan, but I've learned from Tails that hearing other's ideas can be helpful."

Eggman smirked at the hidden compliment and the plea for help hidden in Sonic's words. He twisted his mustache in his fingers as he thought.

"We need to take out their leader first. Even though they are well organized and are perfectly capable of fighting on their own, they still require some sort of direction. After that, we need to come up with some sort of strategy to defeat their amazing cooperative skills. What do you all have in mind?"

"I think you three have done enough damage! G.U.N. will take care of this threat." The Commander said angrily.

"Oh, you mean like how you handled the Black Arms? Or perhaps you mean that sorry excuse for a defensive attack to drive the creatures away from the city? I would enjoy watching the largest one, that huge creature who burned away a plane with its spit, do the same thing a second time!" Eggman said vehemently.

The Commander was taken aback; he hadn't expected to receive such a reprieve from Eggman. I smirked, highly pleased with Eggman's verbal attack. Karo make a sort of snickering sound and he nosed my leg. Knuckles began explaining our plan to Eggman who was just as unsure about it as the rest of us.

"I know you know more about the Chaos Emeralds than anyone else Knucklehead, but are you sure this will work? I haven't seen you go super, though I know you have."

"It has to work Eggman. It _needs_ to work, otherwise we're all doomed."

We continued discussing plans for a few more minutes before Rouge and Mari came back. Mari was carrying the four remaining Chaos Emeralds while Rouge had the Master Emerald. None of us had much time to consider them, however. We soon heard a crash and gunfire as well as the screeching of the flying creatures. The dinosaur-like screams of the grounded creatures could be heard as well.

"This is not the best time. Knuckles I don't know what you have to do but do it quickly!" I said as a flying creature tried to shatter the windows.

It would be hard-pressed to break them because they were made to resist shattering for the safety of patients, but glass is glass it would break eventually. The glass started to crack, one crack slicing through from corner to corner. I prepared my mind for a close-quarter fight, but the G.U.N. agents fired their guns. The glass shattered and the creature went down, screaming as it went. The Commander smirked haughtily at me, but all I could think of was how foolish that was.

"You _idiot_! You broke the glass! That was the only thing keeping them out! You can't think more than two seconds ahead, that's why you can't organize a proper counterstrike!" I shouted.

I growled in rage, flinging Karo under the bed, I grabbed one of the soldier's guns and ammo, and I jumped out of the window. I was nearly bitten by an enraged flying creature, who was holding the dead one in its arms. I shot that one dead too. I fired at every creature I could aim at while falling. The hospital was tall, about forty stories, and we had been at the top.

I was suddenly swarmed by a horde of the flying things and I used Chaos Control to slow time. I killed every single one. I used Chaos Control to speed over to a creature who was standing differently than the others. He was standing like a dinosaur rather than on four legs or with their front limbs close to the ground. I was heading for Lirias.

I came out of the "Chaos Realm" as Tails had once dubbed it, and stood in front of Lirias. The sapphire-colored dragon nearly took flight at my sudden appearance. He had to quickly bark out orders in his raptor-like speech to keep the creatures around him from attacking me.

"Hello star creature." Lirias said; his demeanor gave away his unsettled feelings that his voice hid.

"Call your soldiers off." I said. My anger was barely restrained and I couldn't keep it out of my voice completely.

"Why? There is nothing in the rules of engagement that says we cannot attack a military building." Lirias said calmly. His calm demeanor was irritating.

"It's a hospital, that's hardly a military building." I growled through my teeth.

"This is a military city; therefore, it is a military building. We do not have these 'hospitals' on our planet. If a citizen is ill we send him home and hope he recovers." Lirias said coolly.

"Your son is in there." I said coldly. That got his attention.

"What?"

"Your son is in there. You see, hospitals are where we send our ill. In a hospital, people who are hurt or dying are cared for. That's what a hospital is." I said coolly.

Lirias took a step back. I got the feeling that he now believed his son was hurt and that was why he was in the hospital.

"You didn't…you aren't going to _kill_ him…?" Lirias asked, anguished.

"I have no reason to kill him. He is a child and has done me no harm; however, humans are a vengeful sort. I can only protect your child for so long." I said truthfully. I didn't know what the Commander might do to little Karo.

"Give him to me, I want him!" Lirias said angrily. He lunged at me and I dodged.

"Call off your soldiers and I'll talk to the humans. I have no interest in holding a baby hostage, no matter what his parents are doing, but like I said humans are a vengeful bunch." I said, praying that the Commander wouldn't think of holding Karo hostage.

I wasn't sure what the giant Clawrostira would do, but I would surely meet my death by Lirias' jaws if Karo were harmed. Lirias nodded and started calling to his soldiers in that velociraptor bark of his. Many of his soldiers looked at him in surprise, but obeyed, some of them leaving off a meal. Some of his soldiers openly argued, but Lirias was an unforgiving general. He smacked most with his tail and he bit one who continued to argue after the tail smack.

The creatures made an orderly retreat and Lirias came up to me.

"I want to see him. I want to see Karo."

I nodded and turned towards the building. Needless to say, no one was happy to see Lirias.

"What is wrong with you?! Why do you bring this creature in here?!" The Commander shouted in my face.

"Well, I can see that humans don't work very well with others." Lirias said, slightly annoyed.

"It talks?! That thing talks?!" The Commander shouted incredulously.

"It thinks?! That thing thinks?!" Lirias mocked. I couldn't help but snicker.

"I am Lirias. I am a general in my people's army. Who do I have the acquaintance of fighting?" Lirias said calmly.

"Look at that, he's diplomatic. I am the Commander of the Guardian Unit of Nations. What do you want on this planet?"

"Your lives of course, I thought that would be painfully obvious. Our leader, who goes by the name of Clarostra, needs to feed every fifty orbital rotations. In other words, fifty of my planet's years. A baby might say his name Clawrostira, but that is from a poor ability to translate our language into yours." Lirias said with a slightly haughty air.

"What exactly does this Clarostra eat?" Sonic shouted from behind the Commander. I hadn't realized that he'd come all the way downstairs.

"Stars, planets, whatever suits his fancy at the time." Lirias said, that same air of haughty nobility in his voice while he scratched his neck.

"What did you come in here to do, negotiate surrender?" The Commander asked.

"No."

"Well, what did you come here for?" The Commander asked, frustrated and now confused.

"That is between me and your rather short ambassador." Lirias said, glancing at me. My ears flattened in annoyance at the reference to my height, but I said nothing.

"I should like to take him to the room where were before Commander. The top floor. He can leave through the broken window." I said simply.

The Commander glared at me.

"I don't think so. I refuse to let the enemy into my stronghold."

"Sorry to inform you good sir, but you already have." Lirias said calmly. "Shadow."

I looked at Lirias.

"What?"

"Ever rode a dragon before?"

"Never had the pleasure."

"Well, here's your chance." Lirias grabbed me by my quills and flung me onto his back. I grabbed onto his crest of horns as he spread his wings wide. The soldiers around us scrambled away and Lirias ran out of the door with me on his back. Once outside he beat his wings powerfully and in seven beats was halfway to the top of the building. In five more he was flying through the broken window. Everyone inside panicked at the site of Lirias, but they quickly calmed at my words.

"Daddy?" Karo peeked from under one of the bed.

I hopped off Lirias' back as he practically charged to get to Karo. Karo squeaked, peeped, and squawked to his father happily. Lirias gave me a grave and thankful look. I nodded and explained who Lirias was to everyone else.

"You've made things harder you do know that right?" Amy whispered to me. I sighed.

"I know, but I couldn't in good conscience let him go on without knowing if his son was safe."

"Shadow, I must thank you. I was nervous that you would betray me. I must know, what can I do for you?" Lirias said as he nuzzled his son.

"You can stop killing people." Knuckles said.

"I'm afraid I can do nothing about that. Clarostra has his mind set on this planet, I'm afraid I cannot convince him to leave. All I can say is that I would become a traitor if I sanctioned his death." Lirias said.

"What would you do if we did kill him?" I asked.

"Go back to my home and rule in his stead. He has no family and I am his highest-ranking and most favored soldier. Is there anything I can do now? Perhaps bring your…_diverse_ family back with us? Our planet is not unlike yours, albeit cleaner and with less of these buildings."

"I'd much rather stay here than going to a hostile alien planet." Rouge said.

"I cannot do very much or else I would be deemed a traitor and my son exiled. Clarostra will be gravely angry that I am associating with you now, though he will be easier upon hearing the reason. He does not believe in compassion towards any but his own race though. He will spare you-if I ask- but he will not spare the rest."

"Then we'll simply have to kill him." I said, thoughtfully.

"Yes, but I must do all I can to thwart you." Lirias said sadly.

"Daddy, can Karo stay? Why daddy sad?" Karo said. He didn't understand what was happening.

Lirias' expression became stoic and he croaked something to Karo that evidently soothed the baby creature. Lirias walked over to the window and he spread his wings wide. Before he took off he turned to face me.

"We shall meet again Shadow. Next time it will be on the battlefield. A star will die when we meet and the fate of a planet lies in the hands of the winner. What are you willing to sacrifice? Are you ready to give your life? We shall see how deep your mercy and your courage run star creature."

With that he leaped out the window, wings spread wide.

--

AP: I hope you all enjoyed chapter 5 of Blood Fire!

Shadow: The plot thickens. What drama! What suspense! –rolls eyes-

AP: Shush Shadow. You're about to get in the fight of your life and I've already got most of the sixth chapter planned out.

Shadow: Crap.

AP: Exactly. Stay tuned for the next installment of Blood Fire!


	6. Chapter 6

AP: Alright people, we're getting to the end of the story. I'm soooooooooooooo sorry it took so long for this chapter!

Shadow: I'm about to be in the fight of my life and I can't wait to get there!

AP: Good because that's what's gonna happen. I'm not entirely sure how this chapter is going to go, it'll be a write as it comes thing. Shadow darling, please do the disclaimer.

Shadow: Angelic Puppy does not own me or any Sonic the Hedgehog character. She does, however, own Karo and his alien race.

AP: Please Enjoy!

I watched Lirias fly away. I felt a nudge at my leg and I looked down to see Karo.

"Daddy say you be my guar…gaurbiman…?"

I chuckled, "the word is guardian. Perhaps your father knows more than I do." I said as I pat the little dragon on the head.

"Anybody for some bowling?" Knuckles asked.

"Hmmph, are we gonna need bumpers?" I asked as I watched the creatures outside retreat.

"I think that depends on the kind of bowling balls we're going to use." Sonic said.

"You boys and your metaphors, why can't you three just talk like normal people?" Mari said.

My ears twitched in irritation, but I said nothing. Karo nudged me and chirped like a baby dinosaur. I looked down at him and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Daddy say it Clarostra right?" Karo asked.

"Yes, he did. Why do you ask?" I responded.

"I hear. He coming for you."

My eyes widened when he said that. That humongous dragon was coming? For _me_, no less? It was then that we all heard that ear-splitting roar. I heard everyone else groaning in pain at the sound. In my peripheral vision, I could see them covering their ears. The soldiers outside on the ground were panicking, but all I really noticed was Clarostra's roar that was filled with fierce rage.

I felt vibrations in the floor and I could see the giant dragon walking towards the hospital.

"That thing's coming _here_?" Sonic said as he got up to stand next to me.

"Well, I hope you guys are ready to fight, because he is." I said quietly.

"Who's ready to go Hyper?" Knuckles asked.

I turned to face him and I gazed at everyone. I sighed and picked up a Chaos Emerald. The energy from it pulsed through me and made my head swim. It had been a long time since I had held one and the power was intoxicating. It was different though. The Emeralds all seemed to be glowing differently somehow.

"They're different." I finally said.

"Hmmph, I'm no slowpoke. You are holding a Super Emerald. You and Sonic are so easily distracted I could've gone Hyper by now and you would just be noticing. I'm a guardian, a pro." Knuckles said smugly.

"Sonic, why don't you try going Hyper? Now's a better time than ever, what with Godzilla coming for us." Knuckles said.

I watched Sonic and his face changed from panic to concentration. I hoped he wouldn't ask to have them handed to him. Sonic was often physically affected by the presence of the Emeralds, but it was all in my head when it came down to it. I had direct access to chaos, unlike everyone else who had to use the Emeralds to access chaos. The intense power surge from the Emeralds often made me as crazy as a dragon who found itself a nice hoard of treasure.

Sonic looked at me seriously. He knew better than everyone else that I might react badly. The logical part of my mind said 'no problem, give him the Emerald.' The part of my mind that was instinctive and filled with chaos, the part that largely took control when I was Super, would want to keep such a powerful thing. After all, if there were more power then it would be easier to fend off threats.

Sonic walked over, although we all froze at another roar from Clarostra. Soldiers could be heard outside, fighting and panicking. I handed Sonic the Emerald, feeling the muscles in my arm twitch as I did so. He basically did the same thing when he was going Super, which was to close his eyes and concentrate. The Emeralds did what they usually did, started glowing and floating.

The Emeralds blasted a bright flash of lights that momentarily blinded everyone and Sonic was floating before us. He was glowing and changing color to match the colors of the Emeralds. Knuckles shoved me towards the Emeralds.

"We've no time to waste. Start glowing, I'll join ya it seems like fun." Knuckles said sarcastically.

The Emeralds started to glow again as Knuckles and I powered up. The power that I felt was unlike anything I had ever felt. I was glowing silvery-white as I felt the energy coursing through me. I felt as though electricity was pouring into my veins while I floated there.

I stared around at everyone, my family. Even Eggman was family to some degree. At that point, my brain was moving faster than my body. _All of them are in danger. They all need my protection._ Then a thought passed through my mind, quick as lightning, something that Lirias had said to me. _"You don't belong here. You shine like a star. The normal ones glow, but you shine with brilliance."_

We needed to lead the creatures away from the hospital; after all, we were like beacons. My brain was moving faster than my body was, however, and when my body realized it was supposed to be leaving, it did so with startling speed. I was shocked by how quickly I had moved, as was everyone else. Sonic and Knuckles joined me quickly as we flew over our enemies.

The creatures and G.U.N. soldiers all stopped to watch us fly overhead. Clarostra watched us the most intensely and he stomped after us. He was insanely fast for having to haul around such girth. I looked back at him while we flew, so I didn't hear Sonic talking at first.

"What was that Sonic?" I asked, not taking my eyes away from the pursuing aliens.

"I said we need a plan to kill that Godzilla monster!"

"I've got an idea! Let's knock the only remaining skyscraper on him." Knuckles said, pointing to a forty-story building.

That building was one of the few still standing among the wreckage of the city. How had that thing avoided destruction? I looked back to see Clarostra still storming after us, taking his time yet moving quickly. Contradictions are a favorite pastime of mine. The monstrous dragon's blood red eyes were fixed on me as if saying _I want you._

_Come and get me,_ I thought. Knuckles landed behind the building while Sonic and I waited for the beast. Some of the creatures were attacking Knuckles on the ground and more were heading for Sonic and me. This was going to be a difficult fight.

"Look out!" Sonic shouted, and I turned to see a flying creature rocketing towards me with jaws agape.

I flew out of the way, but ended up being scratched by another. They were trying to gain an advantage by attacking us all at once and it was working. Being Hyper made it rather difficult for them because we were healing faster than they could scratch and bite us, but that didn't stop it from being painful. I wondered how Knuckles was doing on the ground. That was the main thought that kept me from complaining, the idea of Knuckles trying to lift a building with those things clawing and biting him.

Clarostra's roar made both the flying ones and Sonic and I turn around for a moment. He was in the perfect spot to have a building fall on him and Sonic charged for the massive dragon. I concentrated energy into my palms, creating a glowing red ball of Chaos energy. Sonic was fast and was ramming Clarostra in the face with his Homing Attack. I threw the energy ball at Clarostra's face and it shaped itself into a large point as it flew.

My Chaos Lance attack hit Clarostra square in his forehead between his eyes. He stomped around and roared in pain, swinging his claws at Sonic who was still buzzing about his head like a bee. Sonic got caught by a wingtip and went flying into a group of the flying lizards. I charged over and the creatures scattered.

The sounds of the masonry of the skyscraper cracking could be heard now. Knuckles was starting to get the building to lift. We weren't the only ones who heard the breaking stone and bending steel. Clarostra turned to look at the building behind him, but Sonic zoomed over to start pounding at the dragon to hold his attention.

From where I was, I could see Knuckles. His fists were deep into the wall and he was trying to ignore the several lizards hanging off his spines who were trying to pull him away. I charged at the creatures with a yell and they froze and looked up just in time to see my fists. I punched one in the back and I felt its spine break. The poor creature screeched in pain before falling limp.

One of the others tried for my throat, but I had been holding a small ball of Chaos energy meant to be made into a Chaos Spear in my fist and I struck the lizard in the head. I could feel its skull crush as I cracked it across the head. A third came for me, but I backhanded it into a nearby, destroyed car. The fourth one turned tail and ran for its life, probably to get reinforcements.

"Knuckles could ya hurry up? I'm getting bum-rushed over here!" Sonic shouted from the other side of the building. A sound like acid splashing and then boiling something could be heard.

"I'm getting spit at too!" Sonic shouted with desperation in his voice.

Knuckles grunted with the effort of his task before answering.

"You wanna come over and do this? I'M TRYING TO LIFT A BUILDING! Leave me alone!" Knuckles shouted. I left Knuckles to his task as the building began to tip.

I heard another cracking sound and looked up to see where it was coming from. As a matter-of-fact, everyone looked to see where it was coming from. Anyone who has ever built a tower of blocks or Legos knows that when you try to lift it the top half falls before anything else. That was what was happening to the building.

The top half of the building came down and crashed on Clarostra's head. The dragon roared in pain, especially when Knuckles got the bottom half up. Knuckles had practically thrown the building into the air after the weight of the top twenty stories came down. The bottom half crashed into a mound of concrete and steel on top of Clarostra.

The dust settled quickly around the destruction. Everything was silent as we watched the huge pile of rubble. All that could be seen of the monstrous dragon was his wings and tail. The tail moved first and it swung like a crane into Knuckles, who was still on the ground. A crack like a bat hitting a baseball sounded as Knuckles went flying. He smashed into one of the few surviving small buildings and demolished it.

The mound of rubble started to lift in a stereotypically dramatic way. This was all starting to be like your average cartoon with a giant monster in it. Clarostra stood up, flinging the remains of the building everywhere with a stroke of his wingtips and a vicious roar. Sonic sped away to get Knuckles, but Clarostra caught Sonic with the tip of his tail, which cracked like a whip across his back. Sonic yelped as he smashed into the ground and Clarostra turned towards me.

I glared at the beast and he made as if to strike me with his tail, but instead he spat at me. I put my hands up to protect my face instinctively, because the attack was so sudden. The spit burned me like acid, the only thing keeping it from dissolving me like sugar in water being the Chaos energy of Hyper mode. I screamed in pain and flailed wildly to try to get it off, but the dragon struck me with his tail.

I went flying and-with no buildings to catch me- slammed into the ground. I rolled in the dirt and dust to try to neutralize the acidic spit. It worked, but I was now thoroughly covered in mud. I saw Sonic carrying Knuckles, who had been reduced to Super form. He must have still been dazed from being sent into a building. I could feel my own power starting to wane; Sonic must have been worn out too.

I watched them fly past the enraged dragon, who was flailing from anger and pain. Clarostra whipped his tail and sent concrete flying, right into Sonic and Knuckles. My friends didn't see it coming and they were buried underneath rubble in seconds. Clarostra stepped on the mound and pounded it into the ground.

While trying to kill us is like trying to stop a volcano from erupting, we're not invincible. I just hoped that Sonic was able to Chaos Control away, but the likelihood that he didn't made my heart sink. I could feel my blood run cold as the monster turned towards me. I was all alone against a beast I couldn't kill, who would kill the rest of my family. A familiar memory, that of Maria saying goodbye as the soldiers came in. The last thing I had seen was her smile as she pressed the button to send the escape pod into space.

I felt a tremendous anger well up inside me. Maria had died because I couldn't protect her. For a long time she was the only family I had. Now I had a new one and I couldn't protect them either, they were about to be murdered and eaten. I couldn't let this beast do that; it would haunt me in my grave. I couldn't let him take away my family; I couldn't let anyone do that to me again. What happened next surprised me though.

This entire time, since the initial invasion, I had only heard Lirias and Karo speak. I figured that they all could learn English, but I figured none of them could properly speak. Clarostra was the last of them I'd ever expect to speak, but he did just then.

"Black hedgehog. Yes, I know what you are; I am not confused as to what the many species of this planet are named. You have no allies left to fight with you, how will you win?" Clarostra's voice reminded me of the dragon from Dragonball Z that comes out of the Dragonballs and grants wishes.

I didn't respond to him, I simply glared. I could feel my rage at this creature growing. Every part of me ached, my muscles were tired and I still felt a dull burning where his acid spit had burned me. My best friends, as much as they annoyed me, were possibly dead and my family was still in grave danger. They were going to die if I failed and now he _mocked_ me. As these thoughts rolled around my mind, my fury grew.

"You cannot fight me on your own. I can smell your despair you wretch. I have never found such fight, nor have I come across such a delightful mouthful. I should have eaten your friends instead of killing them; their blood soothes my toes." Clarostra said, letting out a dreadful laugh.

That set me off. My pain mixed with fury, the absolute rage I felt blinding me, or perhaps it was tears. Every memory I had flowed into my mind, each one making me angrier as I thought of my family. My mind imagined what it would look like inside the hospital, the only remaining building for several miles, as the creatures swarmed in. I could imagine all of their faces as they would be attacked and killed, each one more horrified at my death rather than their own.

I flew at him in my rage and slashed him across his nose with my claws. I hadn't even realized I had unsheathed them, but sure enough, they pierced through my gloves. I slashed at him repeatedly and he backed away trying to escape my fury, but I kept after him. Something slammed me in the side; Lirias had attacked me. Although his son was in my care, he had to defend his leader; I could not fault him for that.

I slapped him away and he went flying. The other creatures watched in horror as their general was swatted away as easily as a fly and their leader was having his face slashed away. They all panicked and made a mad dash for the houses and small buildings that still survived beyond the hospital. It was like watching rats trying to escape a cat through a pipe, they were so disorderly. Watching the wingless claw and climb over each other in their effort to escape was satisfying.

I didn't watch them for very long; I had more pressing matters to attend to. Clarostra belched in my face when I looked back to start my barrage of attacks again. His breath nearly knocked me out it was so noxious. I choked and sputtered before vomiting. I puked over and over until my stomach was empty and my sides hurt. I felt sorry for anything on the ground since I was puking from the air.

"What will you do when I eat you if you react like that? Face it hedgehog, you cannot defeat me if you cannot even stand the stench of my breath! Your friends will settle my stomach nicely once I'm finished with you. The fox has a weaker glow than you and your allies, but he will be a treat indeed."

I curled into a ball as my stomach roiled in pain. Not Tails, I couldn't let him eat one person, but especially not Tails. I felt my strength grow with my anger and pain. Despair was trying to sneak its way in, but I fought it as hard as I could. I growled in pain and fury as a high-pitched, barely audible whine reached my ears. My inhibitor rings were shorting out. Good riddance, I wanted every ounce of power.

I could feel my power surge as the rings shut off, but Clarostra didn't think anything of it.

"Your power has increased ten-fold, so you still have some fight in you? Too bad you can't use that to save your friends. I will certainly tell your friends how valiant you were before I kill them."

I covered my ears, but I knew there was no way to keep his words out.

"Perhaps I'll just let my minions feast on their flesh while they still live. Tear them to pieces so that I can enjoy their dying screams."

That was the final straw; I couldn't control myself. I just lost it. I literally exploded.

"You…die…. I want you to DIE!" I shouted as I let loose every ounce of energy I had.

The blast would have normally been a Chaos Blast, but I put every ounce of rage, everything that I could possibly use to fuel it. Any memory that I could grasp, any emotion that floated by, good or bad I used it. I couldn't hear anything except my own scream of pain; the pain of losing my family. I never would have been able to manage such an attack if my inhibitor rings had been working, but that didn't occur to me then.

I completely let loose every possible ounce of energy I had, stopping just short of releasing the energy necessary to keep me alive. I probably would have used that too if I could, but my body instinctively stopped at that point. I gasped for breath, completely spent. I looked at myself, I was gray from dirt and dust, but I wasn't glowing. I closed my eyes and was unconscious before I had even started falling to the ground.

I was dreaming. I had to be, because the sky was bright and filled with clouds. There was green grass waving in the wind and Sonic and Amy's house in the center of it. I walked in, seeing Knuckles holding the couch in one hand. He was arguing with Sonic, who was holding a table, about where to put the furniture. I didn't ask, I just went past them to the steps. I went upstairs where I found Tails in his room. He had on a polo shirt that looked like it should belong on a referee.

"Tails, what on earth are you wearing?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh, hi Shadow! Knuckles and Sonic are about to have a wrestling match, I'm the referee!" Tails said happily.

"I don't wanna know." I said, slight exasperation ringing in my voice as I walked into the hallway.

"You wanna watch? It's really fun! We even have a special chair just for watching them! Rouge likes to bring the kitchen table into the livingroom so she can sit on it." Tails said, following me into the hall.

"I have to go somewhere Tails. I'll watch them next time though." I said my usual excuse to escape having to participate in whatever silly thing he was doing. It usually worked, especially since I often did have to go somewhere, although the part where I say I'll do something next time was always a lie if I could help it.

"You're just trying to get away from me! I'm not falling for that! Now you _have_ to watch them with us!" Tails said with a defiant pout on his face.

I laughed at his expression. I couldn't fathom the minds of children sometimes. I was stronger, bigger and faster than he was, but now I _had_ to watch the wrestling match. Kids were funny, frikking hilarious.

Tails decided he was going to throw a tantrum, he stomped his feet and flailed his arms at the same time. He closed his eyes and screamed.

"You must stay! You must stay! You must STAA-AAY!"

I was surprised by the force he put into it, and stopped laughing, though I was still snickering.

"Alright Squirt, I'll stay. Just to amuse you since you threw such an amusing tantrum." I said.

I followed the now happy Tails downstairs. Sonic and Knuckles had moved everything except the entertainment center. I wondered what they were going to do with that.

"You wanna see something cool?" Tails asked.

He pulled out a remote and pressed a button. The wall behind the entertainment center opened like sliding doors and the entire center moved into the cubbyhole. The wall closed as though it had never opened. I looked at Tails, who was cheesing at my stunned look. At this point, I was beyond any type of surprise with this kid.

I heard a door shut from the kitchen, either the back door or the basement door, and Knuckles and Sonic came into the room carrying a wrestling mat. They paid me no mind, used to my presence in the house. Rouge came in the room; she was carrying Cream. Cream smiled and waved enthusiastically. Rouge fluttered her eyelids at me and gave a coy smile. Sometimes I wondered if she was trying to seduce me.

"Boys! Come get the chair, I can't carry this by myself!" I heard Amy shout from the back porch. I had never been out there I just knew it existed.

"Sorry Amy!" Sonic shouted and he ran back there.

"You staying for the match Shadow? Maybe even want to join?" Knuckles asked as he set up the mat. He hadn't even looked up at me, though I admit I've done the same type of thing to him.

"I'll watch and nothing more. That was Tails' deal in exchange for a lovely performance. I didn't know he could throw tantrums— and he's quite good too."

Everyone laughed at that. Just then, Sonic came in carrying a large chair. It was almost a loveseat it was so big. He placed it a good distance from the wrestling mat. I noticed that all the furniture was stacked up against the walls and anything breakable had been completely removed from the room. Amy must have had some things broken before.

I watched them wrestle for an hour. Tails was a pretty good referee, although he had trouble breaking them up when he wanted to. Once the match was over (it was a draw, like all of their fights) I went outside. The breeze was light and refreshingly cool. I saw my favorite tree, a weeping willow that was very tall and shadowed the corner of a pond. It was far off, but I didn't care.

I ran over to the tree and pushed the curtain of leaves away so I could get under the branches. I had always loved this tree; it made me feel like I had my own little world. The corner of the pond that was covered by the willow's branches could be seen from underneath the tree. I sat by the trunk and leaned against it. The sheltering boughs made me feel safely cut off from the world; unbeknownst to many I was as much of a nature person as Knuckles.

I closed my eyes, but I quickly opened them when the leaves rustled. Who was invading my private space? Whoever it was would get more than just an earful. My eyes went wide when I saw who it was. Now I _knew_ I was dreaming, because Maria was standing before me. She smiled gently.

"May I join you?" She asked politely.

Maria and I stayed underneath the tree for a short while before she asked if we could go back "outside." We walked for a while, she stared at the sky the entire time.

"The sky is so pretty on Earth. Do you like Earth Shadow?" Maria said.

"Um, yeah, I guess." I muttered. I had barely heard her; I wasn't paying that much to what she was saying. I was too focused on her presence.

I stared at the sky, wondering why I no longer thought the sky was beautiful. Maria had never seen the sky before; in fact, she had never been to Earth. I stopped walking, staring at the perfect blue. There were no clouds, nothing around me except that perfect blue. It suddenly occurred to me that Maria's eyes were the same color as the sky.

"Shadow? Are you ok?" Maria asked. Her voice sounded very far away.

I didn't answer her, I simply stared at the sky. I could almost see past it, see the ARK in its orbit, and see the moon behind it. Suddenly I found myself staring at the ceiling of the ARK. I looked around, startled at the sudden change of scenery. The red alarm lights were going off, but there wasn't a noise to be heard.

"Shadow! They're coming for us!" Maria said, fear in her voice.

"I'll protect you." I said quietly.

"There's only one escape pod, you have to go!"

"I'm not leaving without you again. I can take the soldiers, I'll kill them all." I said, still calm.

"Shadow, you have to go and be with your family." Maria said. Her voice was no longer frightened, but calm and motherly.

"You _are_ my family! I won't leave you again!" I said, desperate now. What kind of cruel evil was this?

"If you stay here you'll never see the others again. Not until they join us, one by one, in the afterlife."

My ears flattened in horror and I looked around for any way out. This was some horrible nightmare; surely, I wasn't in the presence of Death? Not yet crossing the threshold into Hades, but on some horrible ledge? Suddenly, all the sound returned, the sirens, the gunfire, and the shouts of the soldiers. Maria picked me up in an embrace; her body was cold as ice.

She practically threw me into the escape pod and pressed the button. Her eyes were no longer the kindly blue, but crimson with more fire than my own. She smiled gently, a smile that warmed and chilled at the same time.

"Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog until we meet at my door again."

The pod dropped into space.

AP: Sorry again for taking so long with this chapter! I'll start working on chapter 7 immediately!

Shadow: What are you planning to do next? Hook me up with Mari?

AP: Stop giving out spoilers! After chapter 7 there might be an epilogue. I might make a sequel, so look out for that too!

Shadow: Thanks for hanging around for my torture!

AP: Oh Shadow, you've always been a tortured soul.


	7. Chapter 7

AP: Hello peoples! Thankies for your patience with this story. I know I kinda left you all hanging for a while.

Shadow: Several months is more like it.

AP: Shush! You're not helping! Be useful and do the disclaimer!

Shadow: Yes your highness. AngelicPuppy does not own me or any Sonic the Hedgehog characters, we belong to SEGA. She does, however, own Mari, Karo and his alien race.

The pod fell towards Earth with incredible speed. The pressure made me float to the top and I felt close to passing out. The pod began to hit the atmosphere and just as I was about to faint…

I snapped awake. I gasped for breath and coughed as the room spun. The hospital was filled with the cries of the wounded and dying, though I could hardly hear them over the pounding of my heart in my ears.

I felt a gentle hand on my arm and I grabbed it. The person tried speaking to me, but their voice was muffled beyond recognition in my ears. My vision was blurry and still spinning, my mind whirling in tune with it. I tried to clear my mind, but I was so groggy it was nearly impossible.

"Shadow! Are you ok?" The person said. They had to have been shouting, because their voice was still muffled but I could somewhat hear.

"Mari?" I choked out, looking at her, but not quite seeing her.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She said, annoyance obvious in her voice.

I frowned, but said nothing. I preferred to focus on clearing my head enough to see straight. Mari walked around the bed, though I tried not to focus on the movement since it was giving me a headache. I felt a cool cloth on my head, an instantly soothing feeling. As she held the cold cloth to my head, my vision began to steady and my mind cleared.

"You have a horrible fever; I'm surprised you're not dead." Mari said sharply.

"Nice to know you feel some sympathy towards me." I muttered.

"At least you can hear me better." She said, taking the cloth away and dipping it in a bowl of ice water. "It's not like you'd _want_ the sympathy anyway."

"Not the point." I said, lying back down. She put the cloth back on my forehead and we glared at each other for a few moments.

This girl reminded me horribly of Knuckles. To an outsider Knuckles and I seemed like the bitterest of enemies, but I was actually better friends with him than I was with Sonic. She was like a horribly pretty, terribly smart Knuckles. The idea of it made me gag for two reasons: because Knuckles was a guy, and to compare her to the moron was disgusting. The second reason was that I was most likely in love with her, which made me despise her even more.

"You get on my nerves." She said.

"I hate you."

"Liar."

"Look who's lying now." I said, rolling my eyes.

"So you admit it then?"

"Admit what?"

"That you're a liar and you _don't_ hate me."

"I never said any of that."

"Liar, liar, fur on fire."

"You're a childish wench."

"Oh my Shadow, such cruel and evil words. How could you speak to a lady that way?"

"Good thing I'm not speaking to a lady."

"You're a horrible little cockroach."

"Drop a nuke and you'll be my food for a couple of years."

"Scathing words, you never hold back with anyone." Mari said, twisting a quill in her fingers.

"Why should I? People don't hold back with me." I said calmly.

"Compassion? Mercy? Love?" She asked, still twisting that quill.

"I've only received compassion from the others. Never mercy or love from anyone. Unless you count the love of two chibis adopting a big brother. Little children can break even the strongest walls with a plea and a hug." I said, looking at the opposite wall.

Mari was silent for a few moments and I wondered what she was thinking. Just when her silence was beginning to unnerve me, she spoke.

"You're not as much of an asshole as I thought. You've just got so many scars that you can't tell what you really look like anymore." She said quietly.

"Philosophy, straight from the horse's mouth." I said with a chuckle.

Mari punched me in the shoulder, sending a shockwave of pain straight through me. I was barely able to contain it, though the damned heart monitor gave me away. I glared at her with a murderous intent and her face was full of sorrowful surprise. I had no time to yell at her though.

"Saddo! You wake! Daddy, Tay, Sonic, he wake!" Karo yelled in his baby voice.

The little dragon bounded over to my bed and nipped my ear. He was bouncing like a rubber ball, the irritating click of his nails on the tile ringing in my ears. I placed a hand on his head and pressed down until he stopped bouncing. Sonic, Tails, and Lirias came in the room.

My relief at seeing that stupid hedgehog was annoying, especially since I felt like crying. The last time I cried was when Maria died and that was more than fifty years ago. I glared at Sonic, who was wrapped in bandages. He cheesed, as was expected.

Lirias was a surprise though, why was he still here? A fully-grown dragon creature, he was Karo's father and was almost twice my height. Unlike Karo, who was a light blue, Lirias was a deep sapphire with broad wings. Karo only had small wings that probably wouldn't get the baby dragon more than a few feet from the ground. Karo was about as tall as I was, though his tail was fully the length of his body. I wondered how he avoided tripping.

"What a surprise to see you general." I said to Lirias. "I had expected to find you and your son gone to your own planet."

"Always a warm welcome from you star-creature. I would have left, except for two things, three really." Lirias said with the even tones of a seasoned soldier. He was the highest ranked general in Clarostra's army.

"So what are these three things?" I asked, truly curious.

"My son is a pain in my ass, my wing is broken thanks to you, and my leader is dead. That's another of your doings."

I couldn't help but snicker at the first comment, but then it struck me. I had _killed_ Clarostra. Was he truly dead, or just playing possum? I couldn't know unless I asked.

"He's dead?" I asked, obviously incredulous.

"Burned to a greasy heap of ash. My soldiers have spent the last week cleaning up. Another week and we shall be away forever if you so wish. We will take all of his remains with us; you have no need to worry about that." Lirias said calmly. His poker face was as good as mine, hardened by years of warfare.

"What about me daddy? I wanna stay here!" Karo whined.

"If they'll allow you, for a few months. If they'll have you, a few years, though I'll be coming to check on you. Your mother will burn me crispier than that greedy garasque if I don't." Lirias said, slight annoyance in his tone.

"What is a garasque?" Tails asked. He was so quiet I had forgotten he was in the room.

"A disgusting creature on my planet that eats its weight in trash. It has fewer manners than those things you call pigs and will eat itself to death if given the chance."

"What does it look like?" Sonic asked.

"I'm not sure how to describe it. It has a long nose, its tail is long and furless, fangs and sharp teeth, four legs, most are a black or brown furred." Lirias said thoughtfully, scratching his neck.

Lirias had never liked Clarostra obviously. However, he had to obey his leader, and as strong as that monstrous beast was he could not lead a revolt. That was interesting and explained a lot about why Lirias had told me so much about his planet in the beginning. My stomach practically roared just then and sharp hunger pains stabbed at my abdomen and my brain.

Everyone in the room stifled laughter and they went to fetch me some food, except for Sonic. Sonic walked over to the window by my bed and stared out of it. I followed his line of sight to the absolute destruction on the other side of the window. The city no longer existed, every building having been decimated.

A giant mound of greasy ash lay in the middle of it, with humans and aliens alike cleaning it up. The sight of the horridly shiny black pile made my stomach lurch. I couldn't stop myself from throwing up, but Sonic had miraculously gotten a bucket. Quite frankly, he barely made it with the damn bucket.

"Funny, me and Knuckles had a similar reaction. He's still in bed too, though with what Rouge has been doing I'm not surprised. How's that Mari been huh? Tails was telling me she's been annoying you. I don't really know her too well; she's more Rouge and Amy's friend."

I coughed as he spoke and spit into the bucket. There wasn't much in my stomach for me to throw up so that was a bit of a relief.

"You're telling me this why? I hate that girl."

"Yeah, that's what you said about Amy."

"You're a turd."

"Am I an easy turd, a constipated turd, or a diarrhea turd?"

"You are the most disgusting being on the planet!" I said through laughter.

"Nice to see you're feeling better." Amy said from the doorway. I'd know her voice anywhere.

She walked over to us with a tray of food; Mari was behind her with another tray. Sonic pulled over a chair and sat down with an exaggerated sigh of contentment. Amy put the tray on a nearby trolley (those movable tables) and pulled it over. Mari handed me the tray and sat at the edge of my bed. I paid her no mind, instead watching Amy talk to Sonic.

I wasn't listening to their conversation at all; I was simply watching them interact. I did the same thing to Rouge and Knuckles, because it was fascinating. If you ever watch two people who are in love talk to each other you notice all these minute details such as posture and small changes in facial expression. Their eyes are usually locked on each other, but they flick to other parts of the body occasionally. Even their tone of voice can change when they talk to each other. It was all very, dare I say it, cute.

"Ever heard that staring is rude?" Mari said loudly. Sonic, Amy and I all turned towards her. I glared at Mari, though the other two were rather puzzled.

"Mari, he _always_ watches us. Well, except for the important stuff." Amy said, giggling with her last comment.

"Yes, because at _that_ point I'll need a video camera." I said vehemently.

"Why can't you two just get along?" Sonic asked.

"Don't ask me, ask _her_. I have never been rude unless she was rude first." I said matter-of-factly.

Mari huffed and turned away. Amy and Sonic sighed in unison, Sonic making a wry smile afterwards, and they left the room.

"Jerk." Mari whispered.

"Whatever, I don't have time for children. If you're going to act like an immature baby, you can leave." I said.

"You're such a jerk!" She said. She practically choked on her words and I didn't have to see her face to know she was crying.

"What could you _possibly_ like about me? You call me names all day!" I said, exasperated.

"Knuckles and Sonic call each other names, but they're best friends!" She said angrily.

I could barely contain my laughter as she sniffed and wiped her eyes. It was hilarious and annoying at the same time. She was so tough, but so emotional.

"You…you are so much like…like…me…. I never thought I'd see the day that I'd find someone so much like me. At least you're not all evil and full of angst due to a horrifying past."

"What are you talking about?" Mari asked, looking at me questioningly. Her eyes were red from crying and rubbing them.

"It's not a story I enjoy telling, so don't bother trying to ask. The others will hesitate to tell you, at best." I said, rubbing my temples.

"You're so weird it's ridiculous. How do people stand you?"

"I don't know, you tell me. What do you want from me anyway? I can't fathom your mind."

"Gee, you always seemed the type who could read other people like books without covers."

"Trying to read a girl is like trying to read a dead language that no one has ever seen before."

"It's not that hard."

"You're a girl; it's not hard for you to read another girl. You all think similarly."

"Well, boys are as hard to figure out as _decoding_ the dead language no one's ever seen before."

I laughed at the last statement. This bickering was completely ridiculous and useless, yet all I could do was laugh. I hadn't laughed so freely in years and I was thoroughly enjoying it. When I was finished, I noticed she was glaring at me. I also noticed Tails and Karo peeking around the doorframe at us.

"Are you coming in or are you going to stay by the door?" I said to them.

Tails cheesed and they came in. Mari's expression instantly changed when she looked at them. Thankfully, I wasn't paying too much attention to her being all big-sisterly because Tails handed me a tray filled with food. I didn't so much as look at anyone until I finished eating. At least, not until Karo stole my ham and cheese sandwich with mustard, lettuce, and horseradish. I know it's disgusting, but I never really cared what other people thought.

"Good food, yes? I have, please?" Karo asked after he had swallowed half the sandwich.

"Well, you took it already and ate half of it; you might as well eat the rest." I said, rolling my eyes.

Karo squawked happily and gobbled up the rest of the sandwich. Tails made a face; he hated my "novelty" sandwiches. I heard Knuckles calling for some water and Tails ran to his room. Karo looked at me, then at Tails and followed him. The little dragon-alien was so nosy.

Once they were gone, Mari turned to look back at me. I was munching on a slice of cake; pound cake from the taste of it. We stared at each other for a minute while I finished the slice of cake.

"What are you staring at me for?" I asked calmly.

She shook her head. "No reason. No reason at all."

We stared at each other for a few more moments before she shook her head again and left. I watched her leave and stared after her for a long time, wondering if she'd go talk to someone about me. So many things to consider after everything that had happened and now the most complicated creature in the universe, the female, was making things difficult.

"May I enter?"

I looked up at the door-I didn't even realize I had looked down-to see Lirias in the doorway. I waved him in and laid back against my bed, adjusting it so I could see him.

"You seem troubled Shadow." Lirias said, sitting down. I imagined that's how a dinosaur might have sat, legs tucked under him and arms crossed on the ground for balance. His long neck still saw over the bed.

"How exactly do you know English?" I asked.

He shook himself, scales ruffling like feathers before yawning. "I do believe you've asked me this before, but we learn many languages of other planets; we've gotten a few transmissions here and there. I think it shouldn't be that surprising since we had the technology to visit you after all."

"And just like when I asked you before, you haven't answered my question. Run into the Commander yet?"

"I have not answered your question and you have not answered mine. And yes, I have. He's a wretched creature, though we've come up with a name for my people in your tongue."

"Oh? Which is?"

"Darraki, after the name of our star Draco Arrakis. Rather unimaginative, but my soldiers do not mind it, so neither do I."

"The Commander has always prided himself on being 'rational' rather than imaginative. I guess that's why twice now he's failed to protect the planet from an alien invasion. It is a bit of an interesting name though. I would ask you how your people got here, but I think you'll give me a roundabout non-answer like you did with my language question."

Lirias chuckled, "Pardon me if I think more strategically than the Commander and desire to keep my secrets to myself. Besides, I'm sure your darling charges and my own son can figure it out."

"Charges?"

"Yes, the children who follow you, I am not sure what they are. Or what you are now that I think of it."

"Ah, the older one, the boy, his name is Miles, though he prefers to be called Tails. He's a fox. The younger one is Cream, she is a rabbit. Me, I'm a genetically engineered hedgehog with a dark past and super powers."

"Oh yes, nothing unusual about you, nothing at all." Lirias said sarcastically. We both chuckled for a while before falling into silence, both of us thinking.

"I will assume your blue friend, Sonic correct? I will assume he is also a hedgehog, though more natural than you are. What are the others?"

"Knuckles, the red one, he's an echidna, his story is complicated. Rouge is his wife, mate, something, I'm honestly not sure, but I know they love each other. She's a bat, a thief, and a spy. Amy is Sonic's girlfriend, she's also a hedgehog. Mari is the white one, she's a hedgehog too. I don't really know her; she's Tails' tutor and Amy's friend."

"Hmm, you are complex creatures indeed. And outnumbered on this planet too, I have to wonder how you got here. Perhaps I will speak with Tails and find out more, but that is not the important situation is it? No, the important situation is, now that we have been defeated by you, where do our planets go from here? I would ask that you keep my son, he is fond of you, and that you would allow my people to help you restore order to your world."

"Well, I cannot say for sure whether you can stay and help clean, something tells me the humans would not like that. I would be glad to keep Karo, except for initially trying to kill me he has been nothing but sweet. I don't know how well I'd be able to take care of him or teach him though."

"I am sure we can take care of that. If nothing else my mate will be here within a year with my head under her feet to take her child back. Perhaps a tutor like Miles has? Yes, I could send someone here to teach him and help care for him. I will try to keep Siseria from coming to snatch him back."

"Thanks, because something tells me your wife will be far more terrifying than you." Lirias erupts into laughter at that and I shake my head, completely serious. Even I know you don't play with mothers trying to save their babies, they will kill you.

"Well, I have to admit females are scarier than we give them credit for, but she was happy to let him come for an invasion. Then again, I did promise her he wouldn't leave the ship until it was over, but alas my son is intelligent and had a servant help him get out. He is so curious, but still a baby. I'm sure you noticed he speaks poorly, he is only four, and I do believe my planet's year is shorter than yours. I will send someone here to help you or bring him back. I will decide once I return home."

"Good luck with that."

"You have yet to tell me what troubles you."

I sighed heavily, where on earth would I even start? There was the destruction of the city, that dream of Maria, Mari, Karo, just so much. I put my head in my hands, a headache starting. I could probably care for Karo just fine; I'd only want someone to teach him about his people because it was likely the longer he stayed the more likely he'd stay for his whole life. Mari, well girls were just complicated, I could figure that out eventually.

"Shall I come back while you sort your thoughts?"

I sighed again and looked up at him. "Well, there's your son, cleaning up the city, dealing with the Commander and other humans. There's Mari, I'm not sure what's going on there. I dreamt of my first friend. She's been dead many years, but in the dream she was Death and I'm not sure what it means."

Lirias thought for a moment, "In my culture dreams of Death are complicated. It depends on context, because some dreams mean Death is being kind to you, and others mean she is searching for you."

"I am certain she is looking for me, because the last thing she said to me was 'sayounara, until we meet at my door again.'"

"Sayounara?"

"It means goodbye in Japanese, that's this country's native tongue. English is slowly becoming a general language, but it is not my first language."

"I see. What else happened in this dream?"

"It started out happy, blue sky, Knuckles and Sonic about to have a wrestling match. I went outside and sat under a tree, and then Maria came. She had never been to earth, never seen this tree, and never met my family. We walked for a while, she told me the sky was beautiful and asked if I liked Earth. Then I was on the spaceship ARK. It's mostly destroyed now, you probably passed the debris. It was the last few moments before she died, before Maria died. There was no noise except her voice, telling me to leave, the same dialogue from the day she died. Except near the end, she told me I needed to go back to my family. Said if I stayed there I wouldn't see them again, not until they joined us in the afterlife. She hugged me and was cold and threw me in escape pod. Her eyes were red and glowing with power and she told me goodbye until we meet again. I woke soon after that."

Lirias listened silently and remained that way, staring at the floor. I watched him think, listening to my heart monitor beep steadily. He was silent so long that my skin started to crawl and I fought not to scratch.

"Well? What do you think?" I asked.

He shook his head slowly. "I do believe it speaks for itself. That is a dangerous dream Shadow, I suggest you be careful. It seems Death has come to be fond of you, you have nearly died too many times, be cautious lest she have you."

"That doesn't sound good. Are you ok Shadow?" Sonic was standing in the door, looking worried.

"I'm fine, Lirias and I were just talking, but he should probably be going to talk to you and Amy about Karo."

"Karonisi."

Sonic and I looked at Lirias.

"His name is Karonisi. He gets his full name when he first hunts on his own."

Sonic and I looked at each other for a moment. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged; then, Lirias stood up abruptly and turned towards the door.

"Well Sonic, shall we go then? If my son is to spend time here there are things we must discuss."

"Alright, you catch some z's Shads, Lirias you'll want to talk to Amy and Rouge, I'm not much for taking care of pipsqueaks."

They left and I could hear Lirias down the hall asking what a pipsqueak was. I chuckled, then, slowly built into an exasperated and tired laugh. How was it that my life was still able to get more complicated? I laid back against my pillows and laughed until I cried.

AP: Well, here's the end to Blood Fire!

Shadow: Geez, this is so complicated…

AP: Shadow, you were born to be complicated. I will soon be working on the sequel, as will my sister Mirror the Fox be working on its parallel sequel. Thanks for sticking with it this long!


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